Super 15: Bulls vs Sharks. Loftus Versfeld (24/2/2012, 17:10 GMT)

[TRF_heineken]

Now that the Bulls play in pink....

1) One lucky season ticket holder will win a free make-over during half time of each match.
2) Fans will no longer be allowed to braai before kick-off, instead fondue stations will be available for snacks.
3) The beer tent will no longer sell beer, but a wide variety of fruity drinks will be available.
4) The dancing girls will be replaced by a French poodle parade.
5) The man of the match will not receive a trophy, but rather a subscription to House and Home magazine.
6) The yellow card area will not be referred to as the sin bin, but will now be known as the temper tantrum tank.
7) The stadium will change from the Bull-Ring to the Fairy Garden.
8) The new mascot will be Lady the French Poodle.
9) A booth will be provided to exchange those dangerous horned helmets for the more appropriate silk scarf.
10) Liefling will still be the unofficial song.

Ahem, :http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?26595-Bulls-go-pink-for-away-strip/page4

 

[Seaton]

The Sharks

1. Dale Chadwick
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Steven Sykes
5. Anton Bresler
6. Keegan Daniel (Captain)
7. Marcell Coetzee
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Frederic Michalak
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Tim Whitehead
13. JP Pietersen
14. Louis Ludik
15. Riaan Viljoen

Replacements
16. Craig Burden
17. Wiehahn Herbst
18. Ross Skeate
19. Jacques Botes
20. Charl McLeod
21. Meyer Bosman
22. Paul Jordaan

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Front row: Good names, nothing to complain about
Second row: Surprising to see Bresler being picked ahead of Skeate, but a good call
Back row: Best possible line-up on a dry field. Kankowski has to step up this season. Missing the RWC last year was a big blow
Half backs: Best options we have, period.
Centers: Whitehead hasn't proven himself yet at this level and JP is a winger. Can go either way with these 2. I hope for a tight game with an inexperienced center-pairing
Back-line: Mvovo and Viljoen are promising on attack, Ludik is good defensively. Good mixture

The bench: Experience in Burden, Skeate, Botes and Bosman and young talent in Herbst and Jordaan. McLeod is only there because we lack a scrum-half being able to stand up straight

 

[User1245]

The Sharks

1. Dale Chadwick
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Steven Sykes
5. Anton Bresler
6. Keegan Daniel (Captain)
7. Marcell Coetzee
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Frederic Michalak
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Tim Whitehead
13. JP Pietersen
14. Louis Ludik
15. Riaan Viljoen

Replacements
16. Craig Burden
17. Wiehahn Herbst
18. Ross Skeate
19. Jacques Botes
20. Charl McLeod
21. Meyer Bosman
22. Paul Jordaan

Very exciting team! For once Plumtree is not being conservative in the backline. No Bosman and no Joubert.
I'm also surprised to see Bresler ahead of Skeate. I like him though, not the classiest player but is a hardworker

 

[Dizzy]

This will be an exciting game, lets get this show on the road already!..
I'm hoping Pietersen does well at centre. And Hougaard is going to be dangerous.

 

[Darwin]

Bulls (Super Rugby Caps in brackets)

Zane Kirchner (54), Akona Ndungane (67), Johann Sadie (7) , Francois Venter (0) , Bjorn Basson (25), Morne Steyn (89), Francois Hougaard (29), Pierre Spies (72, c), Jacques Potgieter (0) , Deon Stegmann (55), Juandre Kruger (0) , Flip van der Merwe (34), Werner Kruger (58), Chiliboy Ralepelle (35), Dean Greyling (15).

Replacements: Willie Wepener (40) , Frik Kirsten (2), Wilhelm Steenkamp (36), CJ Stander (0) , Jano Vermaak (62) , Louis Fouche (0) , JJ Engelbrecht (0) .

6 debutants in the 22. Looks pretty strong up front - I'm interested to see how Kruger goes. Slightly surprised to see Jacques Potgieter given the nod over CJ Stander and Arno Botha (have Botha has experience at 7?) - I understand Jacques Potgieter is a huge guy, so should add some more power to the pack. Really looking forward to seeing Francois Venter at 12 (I assume Olivier is injured?), but slightly surprised to see that they have gone with the more conservative Ndungane rather than Engelbrecht.

The Sharks

1. Dale Chadwick
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Steven Sykes
5. Anton Bresler
6. Keegan Daniel (Captain)
7. Marcell Coetzee
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Frederic Michalak
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Tim Whitehead
13. JP Pietersen
14. Louis Ludik
15. Riaan Viljoen

Replacements
16. Craig Burden
17. Wiehahn Herbst
18. Ross Skeate
19. Jacques Botes
20. Charl McLeod
21. Meyer Bosman
22. Paul Jordaan

A few new(ish) names in the Sharks lineup too. I'm interested in particular to see how the midfield combo and the loose-forward trio go.

 

[Draggs]

A few new(ish) names in the Sharks lineup too. I'm interested in particular to see how the midfield combo and the loose-forward trio go.

I'll watch between my fingers! Who let Legoete near the field???
Hopefully Cobus Reinach will be given a go sometime this season.

 

[TRF_heineken]

oh I can't wait!!

going to be a cracker...

After seeing the team for the sharks, I'm somewhat optimistic for the Bulls... Especially if it's going to rain like it has been the last couple of weeks in PTA.

 

[SomeOke]

oh I can't wait!!

going to be a cracker...

After seeing the team for the sharks, I'm somewhat optimistic for the Bulls... Especially if it's going to rain like it has been the last couple of weeks in PTA.

Have to agree with you, the bulls team looks a lot stronger on paper. At least in my opinion.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Think they put Bresler in ahead of Skeate to try and dominate early up front, just my guess
Both have new centre parings but the young guys from the Bulls have huge potential

Friday night... let the war begin

 

[Shosoloza]

this is going to be a huge battle. It will be interesting to see how Michalak do at 9. There is a differance between bulls and Boland and he might find the going get tough when he get some presure from hougie and the forwards. On the other hand he has a ton of expierence so the battle between the 9 will be mouthwatering.

personally I think it is quite bold from Plum to choose 3 players out of position. What might have worked against second tier teams will not nesecery work against the bulls or any quality S15 team.

I hope I am not proven wrong.

 

[Draggs]

I still can't believe Viljoen is a Shark.
I think sometime last season I whinged about what a great addition he would make. Great to have some competition for Louis and another one to help Gouws develop.
Friday can't come soon enough!

 

[User1245]

this is going to be a huge battle. It will be interesting to see how Michalak do at 9. There is a differance between bulls and Boland and he might find the going get tough when he get some presure from hougie and the forwards. On the other hand he has a ton of expierence so the battle between the 9 will be mouthwatering.

personally I think it is quite bold from Plum to choose 3 players out of position. What might have worked against second tier teams will not nesecery work against the bulls or any quality S15 team.

I hope I am not proven wrong.

You're right it is a bold move but I can say 90% of Sharks fans are happy to see a shake up in our backline, particularly our centres. Although I'm worried about that Bulls forward pack, we must remember that the Bulls have a rookie centre pairing in Venter and Sadie. They have a huge task ahead of them.

 

[Shosoloza]

You're right it is a bold move but I can say 90% of Sharks fans are happy to see a shake up in our backline, particularly our centres. Although I'm worried about that Bulls forward pack, we must remember that the Bulls have a rookie centre pairing in Venter and Sadie. They have a huge task ahead of them.

Since the sharks is my second team I am also glad that they got rid of Joubert, Bosman and Oupa Terblanche. It will be interesting to see how Pietersen will do at 13. He is solid in defense on 14, but there is a differance between 13 and 14. One is that you don't have the sideline as an "assistent". I have no doubt about his attacking capabalities, but it maight take him a few games to really settle at 13.

There is not that a great differance between 14 and 15 so ludecke probably won't have a problem.

The boldest move is Michalak at 9. If the bulls can get the upperhand in the forwards (which wont be easy, because of Bissie) and Michalak get the ball on the back foot with Hougie all over him it might become a long night for the sharks.


i.m.o Charl is a good enough 9. There is no reason to play Michalak there. Maybe it is because they desided to keep Lambie at 10 (and not at 12,15 and F@#$% his career ala Brent Russel and Ruan) but feel they must get there moneys worth by playing hime somewhere. Wouldn't 12 be a better option than 9?

If I am Frans Ludecke I will work at a plan or two to exploit Michalak.

Together with the Blues/ Crusaders match, this will be tha game of the weekend. good luck

 

[TRF_heineken]

You're right it is a bold move but I can say 90% of Sharks fans are happy to see a shake up in our backline, particularly our centres. Although I'm worried about that Bulls forward pack, we must remember that the Bulls have a rookie centre pairing in Venter and Sadie. They have a huge task ahead of them.

You know, all these talks about rookie centres for the bulls are a bit over the top... The Sharks are in exactly the same boat as them in having one centre who has played a couple of games at super rugby level and one who hasn't. In this case JP Pietersen and Venter are the ones without any CENTRE experience at super rugby level and Whitehead and Sadie has played some games.

as always between the Sharks and the Bulls, it's going to come down to who will win up front...

Go Bulls!!

 

[Seaton]

Four more hours left until I finally get to see whether Daniel has continued to be an utter knob this season, or if he has changed his attitude and thus be a fairer reflection of the supporters and union.

 

[Seaton]

Bwahahaha, Basson to fullback with Side Show Bob to 13 as Sadie has a tummy ache.


See, even I could coach a team as simple as the Bulls...

 

[cyRil]

Viljoen going for a kick from Cape Town...

 

[TNT88]

WTF he can kick penalties from 65m?

Good game so far. Wish i picked more Sharks in my dream team, I thought it would be raining for this game.

 

[Peat]

Viljoen going for a kick from Cape Town...

Would have got if it had been straight too. Holy ****.