Vodacom Bulls name unchanged run-on side for Jaguares clash
Vodacom Bulls coach, John Mitchell named an unchanged run-on team to face the Jaguares at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday in what will be the last home match for his team in this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby competition.
The same starting side that lost to a late score against the Sunwolves in Singapore last weekend will thus get a chance to redeem themselves.
Mitchell made some changes to the bench though, with the most prominent the inclusion of Springbok scrumhalf, Ivan van Zyl, in place of Andre Warner.
“We are determined to close out the season at home with a solid performance,” Mitchell said.
“We have grown as a team and our supporters started believing again, and we would like to reward that trust in us. In the end, the season did not quite finish the way we wanted, but I am happy that we took some important steps in the right direction. We will reap the benefits of that in future.”
The team will again be captained by Handré Pollard. “We only need to look at the log to see how tough the Jaguares will be. They are playing some exceptional rugby at the moment. That said, they are coming into our backyard and we need to show who is boss in our house. We owe the Loftus faithful a good show.”
The team (with Vodacom Super Rugby caps and points) is:
Warrick Gelant (32, 60), Jamba Ulengo (21, 35), Jesse Kriel (59, 65), Johnny Kotze (33, 35), Divan Rossouw (12, 15), Handré Pollard (c; 45 424), Embrose Papier (7, 0), Hanro Liebenberg (26, 15), Jannes Kirsten (16,10), Marco van Staden (14, 5), RG Snyman (37, 10), Jason Jenkins (40, 35), Conraad van Vuuren (15, 5), Jaco Visagie (33, 0) Pierre Schoeman (33, 15).
Replacements: Edgar Marutlulle (31, 20), Simphiwe Matanzima (0, 0)/Matthys Basson (1, 0), Mornay Smit (1, 0), Thembelani Bholi (28, 5),Nick de Jager (27,20), Ivan van Zyl (15, 0), Manie Libbok (8, 6), Dries Swanepoel (10, 10).
#DayofLegend: #BullsFamily Parade of Legends
The Vodacom Bulls will celebrate 80 years of #BullsFamily history against the Jaguares on Saturday, 7 July with a host of activities to commemorate the #DayofLegends.
The Parade of Legends will spearhead the festivities as hundreds of past Vodacom Bulls legends take to Loftus Versfeld as they relive their rugby playing memories on a field that is close to their hearts before the Vodacom Bulls square off against a rampant Jaguares outfit at 15h05.
Among the legends, together with their families, will be Thys Lourens, Richard Bands, Frik du Preez, John Mametsa, Victor Matfield, Moaner van Heerden and Akona Ndungane.
Dinkie Muller, who represented Northern Transvaal in 1970 and 1974, is travelling from the United States to attend the festivities and will take his place in the parade alongside one of the oldest surviving Northern Transvaal players in Willie Esterhuizen. The 89-year-old former flank and wing was born in 1929 and wore the colours of Northern Transvaal in 34 matches (six of those off the bench).
Matfield and Ndungane will also put their management abilities to the test as coach and team manager of the Loftus 200 team that will take on the Hino Valke with the next generation of club players to stamp their mark at Loftus. Kickoff is at 12:30.
Vodacom Bulls head coach, John Mitchell, and his charges will be itching to make it count against a strong Jaguares team that are enjoying their best Vodacom Super Rugby season to date but the men from Pretoria will be spurred on by their home ground advantage and the will to finish their season on a winning note with two matches left.
Rugby in Pretoria would not be the same without the countless loyal supporters of the Vodacom Bulls and as a thank you for their continued support over the decades, all tickets for the match against the Jaguares will be a maximum of R80. Tickets are available online at bulls.ticketpro.co.za or at the stadium ticket office.
The #BullsFamily are encouraged to get to the stadium early to enjoy the celebrations before cheering on their beloved Vodacom Bulls in their match against the Jaguares.
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