Nyakane back in the starting line-up for Bulls in their last match at Newlands
Unless the Bulls and the Stormers face each other in a SuperRugby playoff game at Newlands this year, Saturday's match between the two arch-enemies will be the last ever in this historic stadium.
There is no doubt that the Stormers will use every match at Newlands this year to arouse emotion due to it being their last season in the iconic stadium, but Pote Human believes his men are ready to be focused on Saturday at their task on between the four white lines.
At the announcement of his team for Saturday’s big battle Human admitted that he himself will probably experience nostalgic emotions because his own interaction with the stadium started as a player in the early 1980s.
Rugby World Cup champion, Trevor Nyakane, has been named to start alongside fellow Springbok prop, Lizo Gqoboka, as the duo pick up their successful scrum partnership in Round two of Super Rugby action against the Stormers this coming Saturday.
Nyakane’s selection is the only change to the starting team with Wiehahn Herbst shifting to the bench.
Gerhard Steenekamp is set to make his Super Rugby debut if he comes on as a replacement prop while Bulls head coach, Pote Human, has opted for a 5/3 split amongst the replacements which makes room for utility back Divan Rossouw.
History does not favour the Bulls in Cape Town as they last beat the Stormers in the Mother City in 2011, but the team does take comfort in knowing how to unlock their opponents after last season’s 40-0 drubbing at Loftus Versfeld, which was followed by a narrow one point loss in the return fixture.
Bulls captain, Burger Odendaal, explained how the players felt after their loss against the Sharks and added that although their confidence took a dip on their way back to Pretoria, it shot straight back up when the players returned to training.
“The players were extremely disappointed. There is no two ways about it as we let ourselves down especially considering that we were in it until the final minute. We have the manpower to beat any team and we will take that mindset into our second South African derby in as many weeks,” said Odendaal.
Human was happy with his team’s discipline against the Sharks where they only conceded five penalties but added that this week’s preparations included serious conversations about finishing try scoring opportunities.
“Our discipline was good on the night which allowed us to stay in the game but tries are our bread and butter and we cannot afford to fluff so many opportunities. Vodacom Super Rugby is extremely brutal so when the try line presents itself we need to take full advantage of it,” Human concluded.
Kick-off is on Saturday at 17:15.
The Bulls team for the game against the Stormers is: 15. Warrick Gelant, 14. Cornal Hendricks, 13. Johnny Kotze, 12. Burger Odendaal (C), 11. Rosko Specman, 10. Morné Steyn, 9. Ivan van Zyl, 8. Josh Strauss, 7. Abongile Nonkontwana, 6. Jeandré Rudolph, 5. Juandré Kruger, 4. Andries Ferreira, 3. Trevor Nyakane, 2. Jaco Visagie, 1. Lizo Gqoboka. Replacements: 16. Johan Grobbelaar, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Wiehahn Herbst, 19. Ruan Nortje, 20. Wian Vosloo, 21. Embrose Papier, 22. Manie Libbok, 23. Divan Rossouw.
https://www.facebook.com/BullsOfficial/videos/550632282205645/
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
