THE BULLS ARE DESPERATE!
Coach Frans Ludeke has said that the Bulls are desperate, heading into phase 3 of the 2010 Super 14 with a showdown against bottom of the table Lions.
Whilst that may sound slightly far fetched, Ludeke is right. There is a home semi-final and final to play for.
Prior to heading overseas the Bulls were averaging almost 50 points a game, tries were coming easily and they were on the right side of the penalty ledger. Morne Steyn was barely missing a kick and the Bulls looked invincible.
Overseas however, the Bulls were far from convincing with only 2 victories from 4 games. Like almost every year however, they Bulls hung n there, got enough points to remain with the log leaders, and will bank on the “Loftus” factor to produce the goods at the business end of the competition.
My only concern is the fact we have fallen away at the basics of the game. Our scrum which looked so good in the early stages of the competition is getting nailed, lineouts have been lost (for instance a lost lineout cost us a try against the Reds) and the ever reliable Morne Steyn has started to miss too many kicks.
Granted we always come right at Loftus, I am nervous! I’d like to see our loose forwards make a few more yards and get us over the advantage line so that Wynand Olivier can set better targets over the gainline and allow the backline more space as he did in the early rounds.
“This is a big week for us. We know that there is a lot to play for and that nobody has secured anything yet. We take these things week for week and we need to go out there and win on our home field this weekend” said coach Frans Ludeke.
“We need to use the opportunities we are given and secure some good possession to launch our attacks from” continued Ludeke.
I look forward to greater synergy in attack which will see us scoring more tries again.
IT’S ALL MENTAL NOW
Because of the travel back from Brisbane, the Bulls were given time off to spend with family, rest and recuperate, with just the Wednesday training session to iron out the minor details on the training field.
“A day at home feels like a 1000 days on tour. You can see it in the way the players are as well. Their spirits are up and they have enjoyed seeing their families. We had a good four weeks but it’s nice to be home” said Ludeke.
Frans Ludeke wants his charges at their peak physical condition, but stressed it was the mental preparation that mattered most.
“We need to make sure we are at our best every weekend. That means we need to manage our recovery better, put the game plan on the table and execute it on the weekend. The Lions game is massive for us, which is why we need a full tank” said Ludeke
“You can’t gain anything now – at the moment all you can manage is the mental state of the players” continued Ludeke, emphasising just where the Bulls are looking to turn their season around.
TEAM SELECTION
Coach Frans Ludeke has given Heini Adams a starting role as Fourie du Preez has a shoulder niggle. du Preez remains on the bench and I am not one who favours placing players on the bench when they need a rest. For they still have to prepare the same way and can potentially be called on in the first minute of the game.
“We’re just managing Fourie at the moment. He was struggling with a niggling shoulder injury and felt he would not be 100 percent ready for the weekend so we decided to rest him. When something like that happens, we always revert to the squad system” said Ludeke at the team announcement.
With Francois Hougaard in the side I would’ve allowed him to cover the scrumhalf position, and it would’ve allowed another outside back on the bench.
The other change sees Jaco Pretorius return from injury in place of Stephan Dippenaar. I’ve been impressed with Pretorius this year and it’s a pity he’s been injured. He looks stronger has been making greater yardage. Hopefully he’ll show how much he’s improved over this last little stanza.
There were also calls from the critics to rest Morne Steyn.
“I think some people have been a bit unfair to Morne, especially as he missed two long range kicks on tour in New Zealand and missed two other kicks. His success rate is still one of the best in the competition” said Ludeke
“Morne knows what is expected of him, he works hard on his game and he certainly hasn’t been overplayed. Morne is in a good space at this moment and it is just a matter of time before he is in top form again” a confident Ludeke continued.
Whilst Steyn has not been striking the ball that well, returning to the rarefied air at atmosphere which he is familiar with should allow him to get his timing back and I have no doubt he’ll barely miss a kick from now until the conclusion of the Super 14!
Go Bulle Go!
Vodacom Bulls:
1. Gurtho Steenkamp
2. Gary Botha
3. Werner Kruger
4. Danie Rossouw
5. Victor Matfield (c)
6. Derick Kuun
7. Dewald Potgieter
8. Pierre Spies
9. Heini Adams
10. Morne Steyn
11. Francois Hougaard
12. Wynand Olivier
13. Jaco Pretorius
14. Gerhard van den Heever
15. Zane Kirchner
16. Bandise Maku
17. Bees Roux
18. Flip van der Merwe
19. Deon Stegmann
20. Fourie du Preez
21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
22. Pedrie Wannenburg
Lions:
1. JC Janse van Rensburg
2. Hans van Dyk
3. Gert Muller
4. Nico Luus
5. Franco van der Merwe
6. Cobus Grobbelaar
7. Wikus van Heerden
8. Derick Minnie
9. Jano Vermaak
10. Herkie Kruger
11. Wandile Mjekevu
12. Walter Venter
13. Marius Delport
14. Michael Killian
15. Carlos Spencer
16. Hannes Franklin
17. Kevin Buys
18. Wouter Moore
19. Justin Wheeler
20. Chris Jonck
21. Deon van Rensburg
22. Tonderai Chavanga
Previous Super 14 results:
2006: Bulls 46, Lions 17 (Pretoria)
2007: Bulls 31, Lions 7 (Johannesburg)
2008:Bulls 31, Lions 17 (Pretoria)
2009: Bulls 16, Lions 9 (Johannesburg)
