SuperRugby: Rebels v Bulls. 04/05/2012

[TRF_heineken]

AAMI Park, Melbourne - 09:40 GMT, 04/05/2012

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Bulls change two for Rebels
2012-05-02 10:34Email | Print

Flip van der Merwe (Gallo)
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Cape Town - Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has included Flip van der Merwe, returning from injury, in the starting line-up for Friday's Super Rugby clash against the Rebels in Melbourne.
Van der Merwe, who missed their last two matches with a groin injury, replaces Wilhelm Steenkamp at lock.

Steenkamp moves to the bench where he replaces England-bound Gerrit-Jan van Velze.

In another swop, fit-again Dean Greyling moves back into the number one jersey, with Dawie Steyn, who debuted against the Brumbies in their last match two weeks ago, missing out altogether.

On the bench, Willie Wepener is also back in the fray after recovering from a facial nerve infection, replacing Bongo Mbonambi.

Deon Stegmann was close to selection, but Ludeke felt the specialist fetcher needed some time on the training paddock first to get into the team patterns again.

"We need to start well and everyone is aware of that," Ludeke said.

"The Rebels are one of those teams who refuse to go away and we will need to play for 80 minutes to beat them.

"We have travelled well and in good spirits, so we are keen to play."

Bulls captain Pierre Spies said they were eager to get their Australasian tour off to a positive start.

"This is a new venue for us and the importance of getting the tour under way with a positive performance makes everyone very keen to get out there," Spies said.

"The Rebels challenge you with good scrambling defence and have playmakers all round, so we need to focus on our strengths for this one."


Teams:

Rebels:
TBA

Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (captain), 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 CJ Stander, 5 Flip van der Merwe, 4 Juandre Kruger, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouche, 22 Johann Sadie

The Rebels without Cipriani and Justing Bieber... I wonder if the Bulls will try to get more points against the Rebels than what they got vs. the Reds...

The Bulls 22 looks solid!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I have to agree that the Bulls are looking very solid and have been in pretty good shape WRT injuries. The only possible problem they could have against the Rebels is probably which Morne Steyn pitches up to play but even that will only decide how many conversions the Bulls land/miss.

Bulls will monster the Rebels in the set pieces and general play around the rucks and with 2 of the 3 so-called "amigo's" out of action in the backline... it might turn out to be a very hard day at the office for the Rebels as the Bulls know how to put the sword in if they gain the upper hand which they probably will quite easily.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Just discovered my new favourite player: ​Bongo Mbonambi.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

sadly I think the rebels are in big trouble without cipriani, o'connor and saffy, but it presents an opportunity for beale to show his talent at 10

 

[nickdnz]

sadly I think the rebels are in big trouble without cipriani, o'connor and saffy, but it presents an opportunity for beale to show his talent at 10

What is it with Australia and trying every decent backline player at 1st 5/8th?

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

The Rebels need more of the following:

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Didn't Beale start out as a 10?
He looked good there for the 20 or so mins he played there in their last game.

 

[TNT88]

Beale is an awesome 10. The only weakness when Rebels get injuries is the guys outside him.

What is it with Australia and trying every decent backline player at 1st 5/8th?

2015 world cup backline:

9. Genia
10. Toomua
11. O'Connor
12. Barnes
13. Q.Cooper
14. Ben Lucas
15. Beale

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Q Cooper at 13? Really? That's the most important defensive position in the backline. And Barnes won't last that long.

Don't Aussies rate McCabe at 12? I think he brings a lot to that position for Aus and would like to see him there and Adam Ashley Cooper at 13. AAC looked class at 13 in 2009 but then.. nothing. What happened?

 

[TNT88]

I was making a joke about the fly half remark, saying we could actually field a world class backline of fly-halves

For the record, I think our 2015 backline will be pretty different to the current one. JOC and Beale will be there, but everything else is up for grabs.

Don't Aussies rate McCabe at 12? I think he brings a lot to that position for Aus and would like to see him there and Adam Ashley Cooper at 13. AAC looked class at 13 in 2009 but then.. nothing. What happened?

I rate him there or on the wing. But yea most aussies prefer JOC or Barnes in the #12.

AAC has been playing well on the wing for the wallabies, not having great games in the centres unfortunately. I think we'll be bringing in young guys in prep for 2015 like Tapui, Horne and Cummins.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

i don't mean to go off topic but the wallabies need another genuine winger. we must play AAC at 13. he is wasted anywhere else.

Beale played 10 for his team in the one and only ARC season, then shifted to 15 for the tahs.

in light of current injuries, if they had to pick a wallaby backline to play this weekend i'd personally go with 9. genia 10. barnes 11. ioane 12. mccabe 13. AAC 14. shipperley 15. beale

if tom carter ever plays for the wallabies i will start supporting the all blacks

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Beale played at 10 for the Waratahs for a while, but was very average. He only started to look good once he was moved to fullback (interestingly, Cooper only started to play well at a similar time).

 

[TRF_heineken]

This game is at a bad time during the day for me. It's going to be a 12 O'clock kick-off here locally which means I will only be able to watch the second half when I'm on my lunch break...

 

[TNT88]

i don't mean to go off topic but the wallabies need another genuine winger. we must play AAC at 13. he is wasted anywhere else.

Nick Cummins, watch this space

 

[InsaneAsylum]

cummins shipperley kingston & foley are all potentials

 

[Draggs]

Cummins cut his hair yet?

 

[TNT88]

Nope, it's a key part of his game.

 

[madflyhalf]

Q Cooper at 13? Really? That's the most important defensive position in the backline. And Barnes won't last that long.

Don't Aussies rate McCabe at 12? I think he brings a lot to that position for Aus and would like to see him there and Adam Ashley Cooper at 13. AAC looked class at 13 in 2009 but then.. nothing. What happened?

I think the troubles AAC had at 13 in 2011 were due to Pat McCabe at inside centre...

He barely passed 5 balls in ALL 2011 international season, RWC included... AAC is a great 13, he reads defence like few others in world rugby, he always finds spaces that he and others creates, but... he needs to have ball in hands!!
He played a superb 2010 at outside centre because of a 12 (Barnes or Giteau) suited for Aus style of play, a playmaker with good passing skills and different running lines.
McCabe, though extremely solid both in attack and defence, just runs straight! He offers nothing else!

IMO a good wing could be Shipperley as said before, or, Luke Morahan, who used to play on the wing in 2011, and I think he's playing fb now, because of injuries.

I think OZ need a backline more similar to 2010, with 2 playmakers, hoping to have back JOC and Cooper for june 2nd and 3rd tests:

10 Barnes/Cooper
11 Ioane
12 O'Connor/Barnes
13 Ashley-Cooper
14 Morahan/Shipperley/O'Connor
15 Beale

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I'm sorry to brgin you back on topic, but is anyone watching this? From the online score updates, it seems to be a good game. And it seems also that Rebels are doing better at scrum time (!)

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Yeah it's been pretty decent so far - both teams have four tries going into half time.