Three changes to Vodacom Blue Bulls starting team against Cell C Sharks

Sep 23 • General News • 1834 Views • Comments Off on Three changes to Vodacom Blue Bulls starting team against Cell C Sharks

Lappies Labuschagne will on Friday play in his 50^th Absa Currie Cup match when he leads the Vodacom Blue Bulls on the field in Durban for their clash against the Cell C Sharks.

The flanker reverts back to the side of the scrum due to the wrist injury to Roelof Smit (*see below), with Arno Botha, who started on the bench against DHL WP last week, back in the no8 jersey.

This is the only change to the pack made by Vodacom Blue Bulls coach, Nollis Marais, with two rotational switches in the backline made for the Durban clash.

Tian Schoeman and Jan Serfontein will start at flyhalf and centre respectively, switching places with Louis Fouché and Dries Swanepoel, who both move to the bench for this clash.

Ruan Steenkamp is on the bench for Botha, in what could be a Vodacom Blue Bulls and Absa Currie Cup debut, should theformer Junior Springboks captain take to the field.

“I feel for Roelof who will miss this match, as he has played very well over the last couple of weeks,” Marais said. “That said, Arno is a Springbok and coming back to his best after a long time out of the game and I predict a strong game from him.”

Marais also tweaked his inside backs with the Sharks in mind.

“We wanted to play a particular way in Cape Town and selected a team accordingly. The same applies with this match in Durban. We need to get back into a winning rhythm again and I believe this team will be able to take us there.”

Labuschagne does not worry about his milestone too much, but is rather focused on a good team performance.

“It is nice to play 50 matches in the Absa Currie Cup. It remains one of the best competitions to be involved in, but to be honest, the team comes before that. We need to step up to the mark we left earlier in the season. We slipped off the pace in the last two weeks, so everyone is aware of the urgency and accuracy we need if we want to beat the Sharks in Durban.”

The team is: Warrick Gelant, Travis Ismaiel, Jan Serfontein, Burger Odendaal, Jamba Ulengo, Tian Schoeman, Francois Hougaard, Arno Botha, Lappies Labuschagne, Deon Stegmann, Marvin Orie, Jacques du Plessis, Marcel van der Merwe, Bandise Maku, Pierre Schoeman. Replacements:Jaco Visagie, Werner Kruger, RG Snyman, Ruan Steenkamp, Ivan van Zyl, LouisFouché, Dries Swanepoel.

Notes:

Lappies Labuschagne will play in his 50^thAbsa Currie Cup match, of which 42 came in the colours of the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.
If he takes to the field, Ruan Steenkamp will make his debut for the team and in the competition.

*Roelof Smit underwent an operationyesterday to repair torn wrist ligaments and will be out for four weeks. Jannes Kirsten is having an operation today to repair torn ankle ligaments. He will be out for three months.