Steyn to start against Sharks

With the Vodacom Super Rugby conference title already in the bag, the Bulls will now look to make finer adjustments ahead of the playoffs in their game against the Sharks in Pretoria on Saturday.

Bulls captain Dewald Potgieter said while their victory over the Southern Kings over the weekend ensured that they have accomplished their first goal of the season, there were still improvements to be made.

“It is a nice opportunity for us this weekend to make one or two step-ups in our game and see how we do against a really strong pack,” Potgieter said.

“Against the Kings we might have been lucky on a few occasions come away being average in our phase play and we would like to make a big step-up.

“This weekend is an ideal opportunity to take stock and see where we are.”

The Bulls averted a possible campaign derailment due to injuries to key staff, while Juandre Kruger and Wynand Olivier have joined up with their respective clubs in France.

The Pretoria-based side cemented their position at the top of the South African conference against the Kings last weekend despite the absence of Pierre Spies and Arno Botha, who have both been ruled out for the rest of the season.

This week they were once again hit by injury with the news that backup flyhalf Louis Fouche would take no further part in their campaign.

The Bulls, however, are blessed with depth with Jurgen Visser taking up the role of understudy to first-choice pivot Morne Steyn.

Bulls coach Frans Ludeke made two changes to his starting XV with Steyn returning to the run-on side at flyhalf, while JJ Engelbrecht will partner with Jan Serfontein in midfield.

Serfontein will move to inside centre in the place of Olivier with Engelbrecht playing on his outside.

The side will be buoyed by the return-from-injury of scrumhalf Jano Vermaak, who only missed last weekend's match after he injured his hamstring in his debut for the Springboks in early June. Vermaak could again make an impact playing off the bench.

As things stand the Bulls have one hand on a home semi-final berth, but victories in their two remaining round-robin matches will make it a certainty.

However, the task could be complicated by a Sharks team that has a mathematical chance of still making the playoffs.

The coastal side currently occupies the ninth position on the log and victories in their final two matches coupled with results going against teams ahead of them on the pecking order could see them slip into the playoffs.

Ludeke said his side needed to be at the top of their game against the Sharks, who has a history of overthrowing the Bulls in the capital city.

“We will face a Sharks team that will be desperate, as they need to win to keep their play-off hopes alive, but we have also goals to achieve and to get there, we need to keep on winning,” Ludeke said.

Bulls team: Zane Kirchner, Akona Ndungane, JJ Engelbrecht, Jan Serfontein, Bjorn Basson, Morné Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Dewald Potgieter (captain), Jacques Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Grant Hattingh, Flip van der Merwe, Werner Kruger, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Dean Greyling.

Replacements: Callie Visagie, Frik Kirsten, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Jono Ross, Jano Vermaak, Jürgen Visser, Morné Mellett.

(File Photo: Gallo Images)

-Sapa