Super Rugby: Bulls vs. Stormers in Pretoria (22/02/2013)

[TRF Mr Fish]

Is Grant injured?

 

[TRF_heineken]

Not too happy about Steenkamp at 4 TBH. Missing Q Roux now with Etzebeth injured.

And WTF about that center 'partnership'! We have one of the best back 3 in the competition but they aren't gonna see any ball with both of De Allende and JdV clogging up the mid-field. Dont get me wrong De Allende has a good pass on him but IMO not the awareness and timing needed at this level yet while De Villiers hasn't been in good form since leaving for Ireland nevermind out of position.

On the other side I am over the moon to see Groom get his deserved start at 9! Him and Jantjies are probably the only halves combination for the Stormers that can get things moving again further out wide. Wonder what it will take for Brache, Du Plessis or Howard to get a crack at it in the mid-field.

That's a very good team though, I like the balance of the team. I just hope Elstadt will keep his aggression at bay, because he's a bit hot-headed...

Now the Bulls must just name their team so that we can get the show on the road!!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Is Grant injured?

Don't think so. I know he has been back in Cape Town for a while after returning from Japan. I suppose they are just giving him some time off to rest from the Japanese season while Jantjies can man the 10 jersey with both Duvenhage and Pietersen able to cover from the bench.

 

[Gena_ZA]

The Bulls were hit by a further double blow as they lost both Akona Ndungane and Jacques Potgieter to injury

 

[Gena_ZA]

Is Grant injured?

He is back home for the birth of his first chid, his Japanese team are still not out and he can't become available until their season ends

 

[TRF_heineken]

The Bulls were hit by a further double blow as they lost both Akona Ndungane and Jacques Potgieter to injury

They were injured already after the Cheetahs game... it's more ****les than injuries... this opens it up for Mapoe to show his class...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Would've been surprised if Ndungane got in ahead if either of Basson, Engelbrecht or Mapoe on the wings. I find it interesting that the Bulls play both Mapoe and Engelbrecht at 13 when they have all of Olivier, Serfontein, Venter and to a lesser extent Small-Smith and Beyers in the centers.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

He is back home for the birth of his first chid, his Japanese team are still not out and he can't become available until their season ends

Ah I see - how many more weeks until he's back (give or take), do you know?

 

[Gena_ZA]

They said he should be available by end of March

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Bulls:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Mornè Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Juandrè Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Mornè Mellett.

Replacements:
16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouchè, 22 Francois Venter.

http://www.sarugby.com/news.cfm?newsid=22180

 

[TRF_heineken]

Bulls:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Mornè Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Juandrè Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Mornè Mellett.

Replacements:
16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouchè, 22 Francois Venter.

http://www.sarugby.com/news.cfm?newsid=22180

Pretty Much expected that... Let the war begin!! THIS IS LOFTUS!!!!

 

[woohoo]

Is Callie going to struggle to get gametime?

 

[TRF_heineken]

Is Callie going to struggle to get gametime?

Good question... I don't know, it's a toss-up between him and Wepener. I personally would rather play Callie, but Willie is the better scrummager, so maybe that's what got him the nod. Callie is a bit inexperienced which could also be the reason why he wasn't picked.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Hein,

What is your take on the conservative approach at center?
JJ is a brilliant wing but an ordinary center in my opinion. I would have played at least one of the young guys next to Wynand

Would also have put Pollard on the bench
But one must remember this is a looong season..

 

[TRF_heineken]

Hein,

What is your take on the conservative approach at center?
JJ is a brilliant wing but an ordinary center in my opinion. I would have played at least one of the young guys next to Wynand

Would also have put Pollard on the bench
But one must remember this is a looong season..

I don't see it at all this way.

Serfontein, F Venter and Wynand are 12's, not 13's. IMHO there's a difference in the 2 centre positions and all 3 these guys are prominent in that position.

As for 13. JJ is our man, he has all the attributes needed to become a classy 13, now he just needs to gel in that position. as for winger, we have enough guys there, no need to put JJ there, Mapoe is more a winger than a centre.

You might see this as conservative, I see it as progressive...

 

[Gena_ZA]

noted with a warm fuzzy feeling

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

They were injured already after the Cheetahs game... it's more ****les than injuries... this opens it up for Mapoe to show his class...

Or for Hougaard to play wing with Vermaak as scrum half. I like Vermaak more than Hougaard at 9.

 

[Draggs]

Hougaard has been expected to be FdP Mk.II.
He simply isn't.

A backline containing Vermaak, Pollard, Serfontein, Engelbrecht, and Hougaard could do some real damage.
Just get a fullback and another wing!

 

[psychic duck]

Interesting that when FdP didn't get back to his best after a long injury in 2011. Loads of SA fans weren't all that unhappy to lose him and thought Hougaard was now the best South African scrum half.

When Hougaard got his chance to play 9 for SA, he got shown up to be a slightly quicker less powerful version of Ben Youngs. Nowhere near as good as FdP even when du Preez wasn't quite at his best at 2001 RWC, and he never will be nearly as good as du Preez. Good to see SA have realised this.

Pienaar better than him too, as is Rory Kockott (who wants to play for France now btw).

 

[Bull]

There is now way that Pienaar is better than Hougaard, maybe it looks that way when playing slower European rugby but imo he has always been kak.