There will be a massive target on the backs of the Bulls when they play Western Province in their opening Carling Currie Cup rugby clash on Saturday, Bulls coach Jake White says.
After being crowned Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked champions, the Bulls have now set their sights on lifting the Currie Cup.
Standing in the way of a potential Bulls trophy double are a fired-up WP side, who have inspirational Springbok captain Siya Kolisi back at the helm in Cape Town (kickoff 7pm).
WP are attempting to give Newlands the blockbuster send-off it deserves by winning the Currie Cup on its hallowed turf in January before they move to the Cape Town Stadium in 2021.
If WP want to write that page into the annals of SA rugby history they must hit the ground running against the Bulls.
After crashing to a heavy 39-6 defeat in Pretoria last month in their Super Rugby match, WP know they have a mountain to climb.
“We achieved our first goal of the post-pandemic season by winning the Super Rugby Unlocked series and now we shift our focus to securing the Currie Cup with a massive target on our backs,” White said.
“There are a few teams that can travel to Newlands as favourites, which makes our job harder.
“Couple that with the fact that Western Province are always a difficult team to face, home or away, and fans can expect a true old-school north-south derby.”
The Bulls will arrive at Newlands four points ahead of WP in first place on the Currie Cup log, thanks to points carried over from Super Rugby Unlocked.
The Stormers were denied an opportunity to gain full points from their final Unlocked Series match against the Sharks.
That game was cancelled because of a Covid-19 outbreak in the ranks of the Durban franchise.
Fiery Johan Grobbelaar will start at hooker for the Bulls and the impressive Chris Smith retains the No 10 jersey after a solid display against the Pumas last week.
WP coach John Dobson will be relieved to have Kolisi back in the trenches for one of the biggest games on SA’s domestic calendar
Kolisi has been on the sidelines since the third round of Super Rugby Unlocked series when he sustained a hamstring tear against the Pumas.
Dobson said he had no hesitation in starting with Kolisi rather than playing him from the bench after his layoff.
“Siya is the captain of the team, he’s played much bigger games than this game,” Dobson said.
“He’s a physical player, a hard worker and against this big Bulls pack we’re going to need physicality.
“Siya’s one of the most physical sixes in the country, so to have him there in the starting line-up was a no-brainer.”
WP have also been strengthened by the return of wing Seabelo Senatla, whose all-round skills and pace are bound to cause problems for the Bulls.
The Western Cape team will also feature an all-Springbok front row of Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe, who will provide much-needed stability at scrum time.
Dobson will want his exciting halfback pairing of Herschel Jantjies and Damian Willemse to provide the springboard his team need to keep the Bulls in reverse gear.
The teams are:
Western Province: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Subs (from): 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Kwenzo Blose, 19 Neethling Fouche, 20 David Meihuizen, 21 Chris van Zyl, 22 Jaco Coetzee, 23 Marcel Theunissen, 24 Godlen Masimla, 25 Tim Swiel, 26 Ruhan Nel
Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jacques van Rooyen. Subs: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Clinton Swart, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren
Inspirational Kolisi back from injury to lead fired-up WP
Bulls gear up for fierce onslaught at Newlands
Rugby writer
Image: GALLO IMAGES/GRANT PITCHER
There will be a massive target on the backs of the Bulls when they play Western Province in their opening Carling Currie Cup rugby clash on Saturday, Bulls coach Jake White says.
After being crowned Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked champions, the Bulls have now set their sights on lifting the Currie Cup.
Standing in the way of a potential Bulls trophy double are a fired-up WP side, who have inspirational Springbok captain Siya Kolisi back at the helm in Cape Town (kickoff 7pm).
WP are attempting to give Newlands the blockbuster send-off it deserves by winning the Currie Cup on its hallowed turf in January before they move to the Cape Town Stadium in 2021.
If WP want to write that page into the annals of SA rugby history they must hit the ground running against the Bulls.
After crashing to a heavy 39-6 defeat in Pretoria last month in their Super Rugby match, WP know they have a mountain to climb.
“We achieved our first goal of the post-pandemic season by winning the Super Rugby Unlocked series and now we shift our focus to securing the Currie Cup with a massive target on our backs,” White said.
“There are a few teams that can travel to Newlands as favourites, which makes our job harder.
“Couple that with the fact that Western Province are always a difficult team to face, home or away, and fans can expect a true old-school north-south derby.”
The Bulls will arrive at Newlands four points ahead of WP in first place on the Currie Cup log, thanks to points carried over from Super Rugby Unlocked.
The Stormers were denied an opportunity to gain full points from their final Unlocked Series match against the Sharks.
That game was cancelled because of a Covid-19 outbreak in the ranks of the Durban franchise.
Fiery Johan Grobbelaar will start at hooker for the Bulls and the impressive Chris Smith retains the No 10 jersey after a solid display against the Pumas last week.
WP coach John Dobson will be relieved to have Kolisi back in the trenches for one of the biggest games on SA’s domestic calendar
Kolisi has been on the sidelines since the third round of Super Rugby Unlocked series when he sustained a hamstring tear against the Pumas.
Dobson said he had no hesitation in starting with Kolisi rather than playing him from the bench after his layoff.
“Siya is the captain of the team, he’s played much bigger games than this game,” Dobson said.
“He’s a physical player, a hard worker and against this big Bulls pack we’re going to need physicality.
“Siya’s one of the most physical sixes in the country, so to have him there in the starting line-up was a no-brainer.”
WP have also been strengthened by the return of wing Seabelo Senatla, whose all-round skills and pace are bound to cause problems for the Bulls.
The Western Cape team will also feature an all-Springbok front row of Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe, who will provide much-needed stability at scrum time.
Dobson will want his exciting halfback pairing of Herschel Jantjies and Damian Willemse to provide the springboard his team need to keep the Bulls in reverse gear.
The teams are:
Western Province: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Subs (from): 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Kwenzo Blose, 19 Neethling Fouche, 20 David Meihuizen, 21 Chris van Zyl, 22 Jaco Coetzee, 23 Marcel Theunissen, 24 Godlen Masimla, 25 Tim Swiel, 26 Ruhan Nel
Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jacques van Rooyen. Subs: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Clinton Swart, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren
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