Currie Cup: Blue Bulls - Griquas @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (19-08-2011, 16:00 GMT)

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (19-08-2011, 16:00 GMT)

The Blue Bulls, without two Springbok flanks in Dewald Potgieter and Deon Steggman this weekend, face a big Currie Cup test as high-flying Griquas head to Pretoria on Friday afternoon.

Last season, the Blue Bulls snuck home by one point in the corresponding fixture after a last-minute Griquas conversion sailed wide. That game, and their recent form, would've given the team from the Northern Cape a lot of confidence as they head up to the capital.

Furthermore, Griquas will be bolstered by the return of their try-scoring scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius, who has missed the first five rounds of Currie Cup because of a knee injury.

"It's never easy at Loftus and I'm convinced this will be our hardest game of the season, because the Blue Bulls are playing to stay alive in the Currie Cup. They are motivated to improve their position on the log and have a very proud tradition at Loftus - this isn't Nelspruit, " said Minnie.

"Also, the players that have gone before the current crop of Blue Bulls, have set an example and this team have to live up to that expectation. They still have a number of Springboks in their team - we'll have to be at our very best on Friday.

"What happened last year is history. They will be better than thus far in the season and we'll have to make that step up. "

Minnie said it's nice to have Pretorius back, but that he will be managed: "Sarel is a great player, but in his absence Marnus Hugo played exceptionally well. We'll manage Sarel, because we don't know how long his knee will last. That's why we decided to start with him. If he feels it's time to come off, whether it's after 15, 25 or 45 minutes, we'll put Marnus on. "


Blue Bulls vs Griquas
Date: Friday, 19 August
Kick-off: 17:00
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Last year in Currie Cup:
- 20 August: Blue Bulls won 39-38 in Pretoria
- 1 October: Blue Bulls won 48-36 in Kimberley

 

[Seaton]

I fancy the Griquas to take this one, Bulls have a lot of missing players, and not just Boks. Interesting that they are giving the youth a chance, no sign of Derick Kuun

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Zane Kirchner, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Arno Botha, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha (captain), 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 19 Jono Ross, 20 Dustin Jinka, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Francois Venter.

Griquas: 15 Monty Dumond; 14 Riaan Viljoen, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Matthew Rosslee, 11 Dusty Noble; 10 Earl Rose, 9 Sarel Pretorius; 8 Jonathan Mokuena (capt), 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Justin Downey, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Jean Botha.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Dobson, 17 Ivann Espag, 18 Frikkie Spies, 19 Marnus Schoeman, 20 Marnus Hugo, 21 Barry Geel, 22 Wilmaure Louw.