Preview Platinum Leopards v Vodacom Blue Bulls
Head to Head: Platinum Leopards v Vodacom Blue Bulls (since 2005)
P: 5 W: 0 L: 5 PF: 107 PA: 278
02/09/2005 Leopards 24 Blue Bulls 69 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
07/10/2005 Leopards 10 Blue Bulls 61 Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Phokeng
21/08/2009 Leopards 11 Blue Bulls 44 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
09/10/2009 Leopards 24 Blue Bulls 61 Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Phokeng
06/08/2010 Leopards 38 Blue Bulls 43 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Platinum Leopards’ recent form at home:
• The hosts have already suffered four home defeats – against Vodacom Western Province (42-23), GWK Griquas (41-27), Barloworld Toyota Pumas (27-26) and the Xerox Lions (43-13) in this season’s competition.
• The Platinum Leopards won only one home game during last year’s Absa Currie Cup Premier Division, a 50-16 victory over the Boland Cavaliers.
Vodacom Blue Bulls’ recent form on the road:
• The defending champions secured one away victory over the Xerox Lions (32-18) in Johannesburg but conceded four defeats on the road against the Barloworld Toyota Pumas (22-21), Vodacom Western Province (15-12), Vodacom Free State Cheetahs (20-14) and The Sharks (34-28) in this season’s Absa Currie Cup.
• The Vodacom Blue Bulls conceded four defeats on the road during last year’s competition against Vodacom Western Province, Vodacom Free State Cheetahs, The Sharks and the Xerox Lions. The visitors though defeated WP in their 2009 Absa Currie Cup semi-final clash at Newlands.
Additional information:
• The Vodacom Blue Bulls secured a 43-38 victory over the Platinum Leopards at Loftus Versfeld when these side’s last meet during week five in the 2010 Absa Currie Cup.
• The Platinum Leopards has conceded the most points in the 2010 Absa Currie Cup – 474; and have also conceded the most tries – 67.
• The Vodacom Blue Bulls flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter is currently the fourth leading points’ scorer in this season’s competition – 145.
• Prop Jaco Engels has played a combined total of 94 Absa Currie Cup games for the Vodacom Blue Bulls, Boland Cavaliers and the Platinum Leopards.
• The Platinum Leopards scrumhalf Michael Bondesio is the fourth leading try-scorer in this season’s competition – six.
• Vodacom Blue Bulls loose forward CJ Stander captained the SA U20s during this year’s IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina and was a member of the Baby Boks’ squad of 2009 in Japan. He also captained the SA Schools team in 2008.
• Utility loose-forward Derick Kuun (Vodacom Blue Bulls) represented the SA Schools in 2002 and the SA Sevens in 2005.
• Vodacom Blue Bulls flyhalf Francois Brummer and winger Gerhard van den Heever both competed at the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship in Japan for the SA Under-20s. Stephen Dippenaar represented the Baby Boks at the 2008 tournament.
• The Platinum Leopards’ Cecil Dumond is the brother of Monty Dumond currently competing in the Absa Currie Cup First Division for the EP Kings.
• The Vodacom Blue Bulls flanker Deon Stegmann (2004) and centre Stefan Watermeyer (2005, 2006) both represented the SA Schools.
• Vodacom Blue Bulls flanker Dewald Potgieter captained the SA Schools team in 2005.
• No 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze captained the Vodacom Blue Bulls during their successful 2010 Vodacom Cup campaign.
• Australian referee Nathan Pierce will take charge of this game between the Platinum Leopards and the Vodacom Blue Bulls.
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