SA latest – Du Preez returns
19 Apr 2011
Keo.co.za brings you news from South Africa’s Super Rugby franchises.
Du Preez returns – Fourie du Preez will start at scrumhalf for the Bulls against the Force this weekend.
Du Preez’s return sees Francois Hougaard shifted to the wing, while Gerhard van den Heever is dropped from the match 22. Jaco Pretorius has been named to start, but may sit out due to a neck injury.
In the forwards, fank Deon Stegmann replaces Derick Kuun.
Bulls - 15 Zane Kircher; 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez; 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.
Subs: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Danie Rossouw, 20 Derick Kuun, 21 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 22 Stephan Dippenaar.
Lambie boost for Sharks – Pat Lambie is likely to start at No 10 against the Hurricanes this week.
Lambie has been sidelined for the past three matches with a hand injury, and his absence has certainly been felt. The Sharks were boosted on Monday when he returned to the training field, and everything points to him fronting the Canes at Kings Park.
While Plumtree will rush Lambie back into the line-up, Jean Deysel will be deployed in the Vodacom Cup. Plumtree is wary of bringing Deysel back too soon after the flanker suffered a bad injury last year.
Jean back, Gary sidelined – Jean de Villiers will be back for the Stormers’ clash with the Sharks but flyhalf Gary van Aswegen has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Van Aswegen was injured in Saturday’s match against the Lions, and initial reports said he would be back in three to four weeks. It’s now been confirmed that he has a medial ligament injury and will be out for as many as four months, meaning his Super Rugby season is over.
The good news is that De Villiers (groin) and Peter Grant (knee) should be fit for the Sharks game next week. Hooker Tiaan Liebenberg may play in the Vodacom Cup this week and depending on how he comes through that game, he may be considered for the Stormers. Liebenberg is coming back from a knee injury picked up in the pre-season.
22 Comments
19 Apr 2011, 08:28 am
go stormers
19 Apr 2011, 08:30 am
this game going to be a war of note.
the blog going to be on fire….
19 Apr 2011, 08:31 am
Storm saam
19 Apr 2011, 08:35 am
Thank the heavens!
Lambie is not flash but is a bloody good flyhalf……cool, calm and collected.
19 Apr 2011, 08:35 am
We really need Liebenberg back.Last year he made many breaks that led to tries. There is talk of resting Duane. This won’t happen against the Sharks or Crusaders. Maybe afterwards. Thye Crusaders are the top team and who is going to klap Biz and Alberts if Duane is not there?
19 Apr 2011, 08:46 am
Lambie needs to push hard this season if he’s to cement his credentials. Last year he was the young guy with potential, this year he can graduate to an experienced Super Rugby player. Hope he continues his good run of form. We’re going to need him.
19 Apr 2011, 09:05 am
I see AC wants to rest/rotate some players. AC you on your 2nd bye already.
19 Apr 2011, 09:22 am
@garth(garth)-5: True. I think Duane will rest on tour possibly against the Brumbies and Rebels. Bekker is another guy that needs rest. Other than that i think the squad has been managed well albeit more because of injury than anything else.
19 Apr 2011, 09:23 am
@Hop Hop Spinnekop(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-7: Ja true. We cant afford to rest players now….two of the biggest games of the season is coming up. Sharks and Crusaders are going to be massive.
19 Apr 2011, 09:32 am
Pity about Van Aswegen. Though Conje is more than able replacement.
19 Apr 2011, 09:51 am
@grant10(grant10)-1: @grant10(grant10)-2: Hey Grant, your team isn’t even playing this week. Sharks supporters are thinking about the Hurricanes, not your over-hyped Stormers.
19 Apr 2011, 09:51 am
stormers will easily defeat those last outpost poefta boys.
19 Apr 2011, 09:53 am
JDJ should really move to the Sharks, I don’t buy this ‘ It’s great to learn from JDV” rubbish.
The guy wants game time!!!!
19 Apr 2011, 09:58 am
@Tecumseh(Tecumseh)-12: Typical Stormers fan.
19 Apr 2011, 10:01 am
@CenturionShark (aka LondonShark)(londonshark)-13: WHY?
19 Apr 2011, 10:16 am
@Tecumseh(Tecumseh)-15:
Because no player ‘likes’ sitting on the bench. Any rugby player at any level will tell you that.
19 Apr 2011, 11:04 am
@iori Yagami(iori Yagami)-8: They can rest Duane and Bekker against the minnows, i.e. the Bulls.
19 Apr 2011, 11:48 am
@CenturionShark (aka LondonShark)(londonshark)-13:
ok, lets swap JDJ for Smit. Surely the bok captain needs game time too…?
what about when plum was benching pienaar for the ever overhyped kockott? sharks are the masters at benching boks. how long did bissie play second fiddle when he should have been starting elsewhere?
and why do francois hougaard and danie rossouw so often warm the bench at the bulls?
19 Apr 2011, 11:51 am
@CenturionShark (aka LondonShark)(londonshark)-16: boet we dont want a player to come to the sharks because he cant make his own teams lineup
that means no pride in the jersey
we have a young paul jordaan comming through for the 12 slot besides what we have
for 13 we have adi , stefan, lindeque ( 20 years old) and maruis joubert comming
we have enough depth we dont need JDJ
19 Apr 2011, 12:43 pm
@CenturionShark (aka LondonShark)(londonshark)-13:
No thanks… quality ball is difficult enough for our wings to get hold of let alone with a centre incapable of passing nor off-loading…
19 Apr 2011, 21:22 pm
So Jake gets the Brumbies job. Going to be interesting to see what turnaround the WC winner can produce, if any… tough job awaits you Jake but hell you had the toughest job in world rugby. good luck! Thanks Ryk for the news
19 Apr 2011, 21:32 pm
@hulk(hulk)-21: Agree, Jake had a much tougher job with the Boks. Good luck to Jake. Hope he makes it over there. Lovely country as well. But will need to recruit plenty players.
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