Steyn to start for Bulls
3 Apr 2006
Flyhalf Morné Steyn is likely to make his Super 14 starting debut for the Bulls against the Chiefs on Saturday in the wake of the ankle injury to incumbent pivot Derick Hougaard.
The forgotten No 10 is set to start at flyhalf when the Bulls take on the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday, the Pretoria News reported on Monday. The match is shaping as a crucial encounter if the Bulls hope to challenge for a play-off spot and nothing less than a win will suffice for the Bully Boys at this stage of the season.
It’s perhaps a bit hard to believe that a talented player like Steyn has been sitting on the sidelines in the tournament, but the form of Hougaard has kept him firmly rooted to the bench.
Now that Hougaard is struggling with an ankle injury, coach Heyneke Meyer is set to give the 21-year-old his first start of the season. Steyn will give the backline a bit more width but he lacks the critical dead-shot boot of Hougaard, which has been crucial for the Pretoria side this season.
Hougaard’s two missed penalties – which proved to be costly – were his first blemish on an otherwise impeccable record this season. He will undergo a fitness test on Monday. “We want to give Derick a decent chance to make it,” Meyer said.
“At the moment he has about an 80% chance of playing. But having said that I also want to give Morne a chance to play at some stage. There are still a lot of games left and a lot more rugby to play and we need to have both guys at their peak for the final part of the season.”
The other walking wounded – hooker Gary Botha (rib injury), Pedrie Wannenburg (shoulder) and Jacques Cronje (shoulder) – should all be ready to take their places in the side this weekend.
Interestingly, the Bulls have not decided to fly in a replacement for Johan Roets as they had said they would last weekend. Riaan van der Bergh is still out injured and Meyer does not seem to have confidence in Hennie Daniller at the moment to give him a go.
“His knee has improved, and it looks as if he will play,” Meyer added. “We’re not flying anyone in at this stage.”
19 Comments
3 Apr 2006, 07:42 am
Nie ‘n maklike game wat wag vir die Bulle nie.
Good luck boys.
3 Apr 2006, 07:52 am
Good luck bulls!
Cant see them winning any more games on tour tho
3 Apr 2006, 08:03 am
he gives more options as does not stand as deep as Hoggie – bulls backs could be made to run witht he ball which is a good thing
3 Apr 2006, 08:18 am
Ek wil vir Jaco op 10 sien.
3 Apr 2006, 08:19 am
Ek dink Morne sal beter vaar as Roets op 15.Hierdie bal vang en n up en under skop raak no so n bietjie afgesaag.
3 Apr 2006, 08:56 am
Hoop Morne gebruik sy kans. Ek dink Jacques Cronje en JP verdien nou regtig ook ‘n ruskans. Ek het die naweek 2 kker na die Bulls game gekyk en die 2 is waaragtig pateties.
Ek lees in beeld, Meyer is nie gelukkig oor die “skoonmaak” by die afbreekpunte, asook die feit dat die ouens te stadig by die afbreekpunte kom. Wat verwag hy met daai lostrio. Dis dalk ‘n goeie geleentheid om ‘n trio van Spies, wannenburg en dlulane te kies. Hy moet net vir Dlulane sê Bakkies gaan hom bliksem vir elke strafskop.
Driesman word gekies uitsluitlik om die crash ball op te sit, maar hy het EEN!! keer die bal gekry in ‘n agterlyn beweging. EEN!!!!!! KEER!!!!
Wat is die focken use dan?!
Komaan Morne gebruik asb jou kans en wys vir Meyer jy is beter as sy liefling.
3 Apr 2006, 08:58 am
Hougaardt staan te diep in die pocket,dis hoekom hulle backline so verbeeldingloos speel.Meyer het jy al gehoor van n umbrella rush defence?Dis hoekom jou backline niks tyd het nie.
3 Apr 2006, 09:00 am
Hougaard is as much a symptom of a poor game plan & inadequate preparation for the overseas leg as he is the culprit of bad BMT.
Steyn should make a difference but not enough unless the Bulls Loosies step up to the plate & the pack to hunt as a unit.
3 Apr 2006, 10:04 am
What kind of good Hougaard’s form they are talking about? I couldn’t see any. May be kicking 80-90% for poles. O.k. I’ll take that. But what for kicking away 80-90% of possetion? How good is this? How good is standing 15-20 metres behind and putting pressure on your forward as they have to come all the way back in order to enter the ruck from the gate? OR your back as the time he passes the ball other backs are way behind the advantage line and the opposition has closed the space? Is it a good form? I don’t htink so. Every single game I was tearing my hear becouse Morne was sitting on the bench and so called in-form Hougaard was kicking, kicking, kicking as he thought he was playing 2004 Carrie Cup when bulls pack was totaly dominating other teams. Helloo wake up it’s 2006 and it’s s14. No one’s pack can domenate in this competition as you play against the best in the world.
So hougards injury is blessing. As even on fryday the bulls looked much better when Morne came on. Finally bulls will have a flyhalf who is quicker, smarter and has better hands.
I hope Meyer will see that he has been way to loyal to hougaard.
3 Apr 2006, 10:21 am
Hougie is a very big loss….. i hope steyn can fill hougie boots.
3 Apr 2006, 10:41 am
I’ve always said that steyn will ad a new dimension to bulls rugby – the running game !. DH stands 40m back (memories of lima tackle), gets the ball and punts it back 50m, a gain of 10m. Now at least the boys can start running a bit. Get rid of rossouw on flank, put in spies, rest jc with pedrie to 8, dlulane in and then they will get to the break downs a bit quicker.
Can’t wait for the Sharks/bulls game !!
3 Apr 2006, 11:27 am
Yes Zulushark,
Russow is not a flank he is a greate lock, don’t understand why Meyer is choosing him at flank when last year he was stating that Danie is a lock only.
Cronie is not 8 he is a greate blindside flank. don’t know why Meyer persists with JC at 8 as previouse years he was greate at 7. Cronie is just does nothave enough speed and good pass and goes to ground to quickly unlike Leonard who needed 3-4 opposite players to bring him down.
They should move Piedrie or even Spies at 8 and bulls backraw whould operate better, IMHO.
I have a question to people in Pretoria or close to Bulls Union. What news with Geo Cronie? I’ve read somewhere that he canceled his contract with Quins and went back to SA last year. By this time he should be over his injury and it would be greate to see him as a sub for Bakkies.
3 Apr 2006, 11:37 am
Geo’s injury sustained at Quins is of the career ending type.
Saw him on new years eve at Firkin. hear he has a tile shop in Pta somewhere. Not playing rugby anymore
3 Apr 2006, 11:44 am
That’s a shame. He was the only pplayer who had the same attributes as Bakkies
3 Apr 2006, 11:49 am
I heard that Heynecke has been trying to get Stans mother to fly out to go play the Chiefs.
When she waS PF in the army she was a very good tighthead.
Watch this space
3 Apr 2006, 12:08 pm
Like I said on Thursday: The Bulls will lose and the stormers will win…. Bulls are playing all these “Huge’ players as to kill the opposition at the front…hahahahaha… Blues Centre tipoki ran rings around them….i suspect the same will happen this weekend….Stormers have a better chance of beating the blues….their form is a bit hot and cold….and the stormers run more and play a better open game….they will paas the bulls on the log before the end of the two teams tours….
Dan Retief my friend; EAT humble pie for those stupid predictions!!!!
3 Apr 2006, 14:18 pm
Is there a new bloke on Keo’s reporting team, I was wondering who was a Steyn fan? Anyway, Andrew i agree Steyn is a more complete flyhalf, but Hougies’ kicking has been deadly thus far (apart from the last game).
3 Apr 2006, 14:25 pm
Yip cab – we got a bloke in JOzi to cater to the cats, and bulls lads.
3 Apr 2006, 15:36 pm
zulushark,
Dulane? you have surely lost it.
I am surprised he has not been sent back home yet with his form.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.