Bulls to opt for experience- as expected

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The Vodacom Bulls are set to prefer experience over exuberance when they name their team for their opening Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the DHL Stormers at Loftus on Friday night.

While there was much pre-season excitement at the form of players such as IRB Junior Player of the year 2012 Jan Serfontein, schoolboy prodigy Handre Pollard and the likes of Jacques du Plessis, Travis Ismael, Sampie Mastriet and Arno Botha, the likelihood of any of them making the starting line-up is very slim indeed.

Serfontein may have impressed and is seen as the vision of the future for Bulls rugby, and probably would have been unleashed had it not been for the stature of the opposition come this Friday night.

There is no doubt the Stormers – after their dominance in 2012 and after taking the South African conference title over the last two years – arrive at Loftus Versfeld as favourites.

Buoyed by the inclusion of a Lions Springbok trio that makes them stronger, not even the loss of Schalk Burger has dented their ambitions.

It is not often the Bulls will be seen as underdogs at Loftus Versfeld and it's not a title they are overly comfortable with, but while Stormers coach Allister Coetzee tries to convince all and sundry his team are not as good as the opposition, the Bulls have opted for experience to counter the Stormers' watertight defensive system.

So while injuries have forced Akona Ndungane and Jacques Potgieter out of action, the Bulls will keep the same experienced core for the match and few surprises are expected.

Lionel Mapoe’s move onto the wing is injury enforced and the showdown between him and master finisher Bryan Habana will be a talking point, as he slots into a back three with Bjorn Basson and Zane Kirchner.

In the midfield, not even Francois Venter’s impressive showing against the Cheetahs could get him into the team that ran at practice on Tuesday.

JJ Engelbrecht will occupy the midfield with veteran Wynand Olivier, who has just returned from a stint in Japan with Morne Steyn directing things from the number 10 jersey.

And contrary to a number of ill-informed reports, scrumhalf Francois Hougaard has not withdrawn from the team to play the Stormers and will take his place behind the pack.

The loss of Potgieter is likely to see either Deon Stegmann or Arno Botha join Dewald Potgieter and captain Pierre Spies in the loose trio while the tried and tested Bok lock combination of Juandre Kruger and Flip van der Merwe will occupy the engine room.

Chiliboy Ralepelle missed training on Monday because of a bout of flu, but is expected to take his place in the front row, with Werner Kruger and Morne Mellett on either side of him.

LIKELY BULLS TEAM: Zane Kirchner, Lionel Mapoe, JJ Engelbrecht, Wynand Olivier, Bjorn Basson, Morne Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Juandre Kruger, Flip van der Merwe, Werner Kruger, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Morne Mellett.

 Probably the best option to start with the experienced players, then bring on the youngsters as impact players to get experience- until the upsurp the incumbets. 

Morne Steyn and Misse should be fazed out during the season. Depending on form, sooner than later.

Sahrkbok

Looking at that team - I am not sure that they would be competitive.   I expected much of the selections made and think they are on the weak side in line out plays.   That lock combination was outjumped in the CC games last year when they were in fact avilable and I really prefer the Sotpormers locks in this case.   Flippie is not too bad against Steenkamp - but then Bekker will be all over Kruger.   Sies can help a bit - but he is likely to be second best to Elstadt  in that Department as well.   

Scrummaging is also going to be problematic as the props are no the best around and Kruger is a penalty machine in that regard.   

The only positions where the Bulls would have the edge is in fact in Hougaard and Morne Steyn - and that depends whether Hougaard is over his brain implosion of last year and Morne has recovered some kicking form.

I frankly think Taute is a better full back than Kirchner, The Stormer wings are better than the Bulls ones - and De Allende is to my mind better than Missie at 12, while Engelbrecht was a bad joke at 13 in the CC last year - so De Villiers will have the edge on him.

Howevr, that is my personal feelings and some will definitely differ from me.