| The Vodacom Blue Bulls team to face the MTN Golden Lions in Pretoria on Saturday sees two changes from the one that beat GWK-Griquas at Loftus Versfeld last weekend.At scrumhalf, Ruan Snyman will earn his first start, swopping places with Rudy Paige (who drops to the bench) and Bongi Mbonambi who will start at hooker in place of the injured Callie Visagie.
Former Vodacom Blue Bulls hooker Bandise Maku, who left Pretoria to play for the Lions and later the Southern Kings, returns to the team on the bench, whilst Jacques Engelbrecht will earn his first start for his new team should he be called upon from the bench.
Engelbrecht, a former SWD Eagles, Kings and Springbok Sevens player, comes in for injured Jean Cook.
“We have played well in patches this far and now need to produce a more lasting effort,” coach Pine Pienaar said on Wednesday.
“The Lions have a lot of momentum and have played as a unit for a while now, so we will need to counter that by playing as a team. I am happy to call on the likes of Bandise and Jacques as they have slotted in very well and I am sure they will make a telling contribution off the bench.”
Vodacom Blue Bulls captain Jono Ross echoed his coach’s sentiments.
“We have improved every match and that is the pleasing part of our performances. We have not put together an 80 minute effort yet though and everyone is quite conscious about that. We have seen that when we play as a team, we are hard to beat, so our objectives are quite clear in that regard.”
The team to play the Lions is:
Jürgen Visser, Sampie Mastriet, Ulrich Beyers, Francois Venter, Travis Ismaiel, Tony Jantjies, Ruan Snyman, Jono Ross (c), Jacques du Plessis, Wiaan Liebenberg, Grant Hattingh, Paul Willemse, Werner Kruger, Mbongeni Mbonambi, Morné Mellett. Replacements: Bandise Maku, Marcel van der Merwe, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Jacques Engelbrecht, Rudy Paige, Waylon Murray, Clayton Blommetjies.
Milestones:
•Jacques Engelbrecht will make his debut for the Vodacom Blue Bulls should he take to the field.
•Bongi Mbonambi will earn a first start for the Vodacom Blue Bulls after earning five caps as a replacement in the Absa Currie Cup competition.
•Ruan Snyman last started a match in the Absa Currie Cup on 8 September 2012, also against the MTN Golden Lions at Loftus Versfeld.
•Bandise Maku’s last outing for the Vodacom Blue Bulls was on October 9th 2010 against The Sharks in Durban.
Vodacom Blou Bulle verander twee vir Goue Leeus-stryd
Die Vodacom Blou Bulle span wat Saterdag op Loftus Versfeld teen die MTN Goue Leeus in Absa se Curriebekerreeks speel, toon twee veranderinge van die een wat GWK-Griekwas verlede naweek getroef het.
Ruan Snyman is die nuwe skrumskakel in die plek van Rudy Paige (wat bank toe skuif) en op haker begin Bongi Mbonambi in die beseerde Callie Visagie se plek.
Die voormalige Vodacom Blou Bulle haker, Bandise Maku, wat laas in 2010 vir die span uitgedraf het, is die plaasvervanger in Mbonambi se plek. Nog ‘n nuweling op die plaasvervangerbank is Jacques Engelbrecht wat die beseerde Jean Cook vervang.
Engelbrecht, ‘n voormalige SWD Arende, Kings en Springbok Sewes-speler, sal sy debuut vir die Vodacom Blou Bulle in die kompetisie maak as hy speelkans kry.
“Ons het tot dusver nog met rukke en stote gespeel en dit raak tyd vir die span om ‘n meer langdurige vertoning daar te stel,” het die Vodacom Blou Bulle-afrigter, Pine Pienaar, Woensdag gesê.
“Die Leeus het baie momemtum opgebou hierdie seisoen en speel al ‘n rukkie as ‘n eenheid saam. Ons uitdaging sal daarin lê om dieselfde te doen en as ‘n span die een deur te trek. Ek is baie bly om op spelers soos Jacques en Bandise se nommers te kan druk. Beide is puik spelers en hulle het reeds goed ingeskakel. Ek verwag ‘n deurslaggewende bydrae van hulle.”
Die Vodacom Blou Bulle-kaptein, Jono Ross, het dit beaam.
“Ons verbeter elke wedstryd en dit is ‘n bemoedigende aspek van ons seisoen. Ons het egter nog nie ‘n 80 minute poging gelewer nie, so almal is baie bewus van daardie doelwit. Ons het gesien dat as ons as ‘n span funksioneer, ons baie kompeterend is, so almal weet wat om te doen,” het Ross gesê.
Die span wat teen die Leeus speel is:
Jürgen Visser, Sampie Mastriet, Ulrich Beyers, Francois Venter, Travis Ismaiel, Tony Jantjies, Ruan Snyman, Jono Ross (k), Jacques du Plessis, Wiaan Liebenberg, Grant Hattingh, Paul Willemse, Werner Kruger, Mbongeni Mbonambi, Morné Mellett. Plaasvervangers: Bandise Maku, Marcel van der Merwe, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Jacques Engelbrecht, Rudy Paige, Waylon Murray, Clayton Blommetjies.
Mylpale:
•Jacques Engelbrecht sal sy Absa Curriebeker debuut vir die Vodacom Blou Bulle maak as hy speelkans kry.
•Bongi Mbonambi sal in sy eerste beginwedstryd vir die Blou Bulle in die kompetisie speel nadat hy reeds vyf keer as plaasvervanger opgedraf het.
•Ruan Snyman het laas ‘n Curriebekerwedstryd vir die Vodacom Blou Bulle begin toe hy op 8 September 2012 teen die Goue Leeus op Loftus Versfeld gespeel het.
•Bandise Maku’s se laaste verskyning vir die Vodacom Blou Bulle was op 9 Oktober 2010 teen die Sharks in Durban.
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