Labuschagne will lead Bulls in Currie Cup
There are nine debutants in the Blue Bulls team for their first Currie Cup match in Bloemfontein against the Cheetahs this weekend.
Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais opted for a youthful squad for his Currie Cup coaching debut on Saturday, when the Vodacom Blue Bulls take on Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
He also named former Free State flanker, Lappies Labuschagne, as captain for the season opener. It will be the flanker’s first match with the Barberton daisy on the chest He has played for the hosts 44 times before he moved to Pretoria.
The squad is packed with players who represented the Junior Springboks in recent years, while some seasoned Springboks add the needed degree of experience.
Making Currie Cup debuts in the backline for the Blue Bulls are Warrick Gelant and Travis Ismaiel, with Hanro Liebenberg, Marvin Orie and Jaco Visagie also running out as Blue Bulls Currie Cup players for the first time on Saturday. Amongst all the replacements, Nqoba Mxoli, RG Snyman, Ivan van Zyl and Dries Swanepoel will all make a first Currie Cup appearance, should they be called upon.
Prop Werner Kruger will play in his 98th match in the competition.
“We have a good blend of youth and experience and I hope we can find the right mix in our playing style to add to that,” Marais said.
“I am positive that we can mix it up in our approach, and with a changed mindset we will carry the ball a bit more and use it in a positive way, but you don’t change things overnight, so I am comfortable in the knowledge that we have a good back-up plan too.”
The coach will be in charge in the Currie Cup for the first time, as will his counterpart, Franco Smith.
“We will both be nervous, no doubt, but it will be a positive nervous as we are keen to get this on the road. I am not too worried about the critics, it is those who support us that I am very keen not to disappoint”, Marais concluded.
Labuschagne warned of the challenge that the Cheetahs will pose.
“Playing the Blue Bulls is always a massive game for the home side and this time will be no different. We will have to weather the storm and make sure we focus on those things we believe will make us successful. The group believe in each other, but the only way to prove that is out there on the field” was the new captain’s comment.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls team is: Warrick Gelant, Travis Ismaiel, William Small-Smith, Burger Odendaal, Jamba Ulengo, Tian Schoeman, Francois Hougaard, Hanro Liebenberg, Lappies Labuschagne (captain), Deon Stegmann, Marvin Orie, Jacques du Plessis, Werner Kruger, Jaco Visagie, Dean Greyling.
Replacements: Bandise Maku, Nqoba Mxoli, RG Snyman, Roelof Smit, Ivan van Zyl, Louis Fouche, Dries Swanepoel.
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Blue Bulls Under-21 bring in Dan Kriel
Blue Bulls Under-21 coach Handré Marnitz included Dan Kriel at inside centre for his team’s Absa Under-21 Provincial Championship clash against Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Kriel missed last week’s win over the EP Kings in Port Elizabeth and will replace Adrian Maebane, who moves to the bench.
Ashton Fortuin gets a start in place of Jason Jenkins, who has a niggle. JP Smith is also back on the bench as replacement scrumhalf.
The team is: Ganfried May, Jixie Molapo, Marquit September, Daniel Kriel, Keanan van Wyk, Kobus Marais, Theo Maree, Juanre Swanepoel, Abongile Nonkontwana, Marco van Staden, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Ashton Fortuin, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Corniel Els, Stefaan Grundlingh. Replacements: Arno van Wyk, Johan van Wyk, Riekert Hattingh, Heinrich Viljoen, JP Smith, Joshua Stander, Adrian Maebane.
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Jackson back in the starting line-up
Junior Springboks midfielder JT Jackson is back in the starting backline of the Blue Bulls Under-19 team. Jackson played off the bench in Port Elizabeth last weekend when the EP Kings shocked the Pretoria side, but the UP-Tuks player has now being moved back into the run-on team to face the Toyota Free State in the Absa Under-19 Provincial Competition.
The match is in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The team is: Divan Rossouw, Coneree Poole, FrancoNaude, JT Jackson, Ruan de Beer, Tinus de Beer (captain), Dale Hendricks, Luiqy van Jaarsveld, Dean van der Westhuizen, Justin Meintjies, Eli Snyman, Sam Mitchel, Jaco Holtzhausen, Alandre van Rooyen, Gavin van den Berg. Replacements: Jungqo Hennings, Madot Mabokela, Denzel Hill, Franco van den Berg, Maurice White, Andri Cooper, Brendan Owen, Rohan Goosen.
