It will be a first quarter-final for all of them, but eleven players from the Vodacom Bulls match 22 have won the Super Rugby title before.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke announced his team to play the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday and named a side with multiple Super Rugby medal winners to face the Canterbury side, another team with a strong Super Rugby legacy.
Ludeke made only one change to the side that beat the MTN Lions last weekend, with the fit-again Flip van der Merwe returning to his regular berth at lock at the expense of Wilhelm Steenkamp, who returns to the bench, where CJ Stander drops out of the match 22.
Zane Kirchner, Akona Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Mornè Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Flip van der Merwe, Werner Kruger, Chiliboy Ralepelle and Dean Greyling all won medals before, but have not played in a quarter-final as the Bulls failed to qualify last year, when it was introduced for the first time in the competition.
The Vodacom Bulls team (with Super caps) is: Zane Kirchner (70), Akona Ndungane (83), JJ Engelbrecht (16), Wynand Olivier (102), Bjorn Basson (41), Mornè Steyn (105), Francois Hougaard (44), Pierre Spies (88, c), Dewald Potgieter (53), Jacques Potgieter (12) Juandrè Kruger (16), Flip van der Merwe (47) Werner Kruger (74), Chiliboy Ralepelle (51), Dean Greyling (29). Replacements: Willie Wepener (52), Frik Kirsten (14), Wilhelm Steenkamp (51), Deon Stegmann (59), Jano Vermaak (87), Louis Fouchè (9), Francois Venter (7).
Milestones:
• Mornè Steyn has scored more points than any other South African player in Super Rugby (1198 points) and could extend that record against the Crusaders. He also holds the record for penalties (217), conversions (210) and the tournament record for drop goals (24).
•Wynand Olivier will play in his 103rd Super match for the Bulls and is the most experienced South African midfielder in the competition.
•Bjorn Basson has scored ten tries in 2012 and is the Vodacom Bulls record holder for tries in a season. He also shares the most tries in the competition with Andre Taylor of the Hurricanes and could move into top spot on Saturday.
elcamino
ROOILEEU
Tina
JT_BOKBEFOK!
garyj1-Bulls
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logan
Aldo
KingPaul
Deon
Methos The French Stormer
RUGGA_MIND
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namboer
trevormayhew
Marcel
Pom in Joburg
Pokkel
moose
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Watte
niekie
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Panther
Vetgesmeerde Blits
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Blokkies
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Morné
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Ollie
Koos
July 18th, 2012 at 10:41 am
Come on Boois the country is behind you.
I cannot see them pulling this off but stranger things have happened. They need to play finals rugby and not kick away possession so the Saders can attack them.
To be honest after the player drain I thought they would not get this far but they have shown the system put in place by HM. Once Sadie, Pollard, Venter and the rest of the new gen turns up they will dominate for a few years.
July 18th, 2012 at 11:12 am
Eet hulle BULLE!!!!
July 18th, 2012 at 11:19 am
Reply to DavidS @ 11:12 am:
last i checked a Bull is a vegetarian so “Trap Hulle” will be more appropriate!
July 18th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Ag nee… Dewaldt Potgieter is starting… kiss of death for the team…
July 18th, 2012 at 3:23 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 3:10 pm:
Agree – I have no idea what people see in him
He does not get the go forward like Jaques Potgieter or Alberts, he does not have the pace of Spies or Marcel, he does not annoy the oposition with slowing down/stealing ball like Stegman or Brussouw. Where are Arno Botha & CJ Stander for example?
July 18th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 11:19 am:
Duuuhhhh
These think chicken is a vegetable.
So fluit vir jou gat man!
July 19th, 2012 at 12:16 pm
Bulls are underdogs of note for this game.
They might not pitch up, but they seem to have become better travellers in the last few years. lets hope they surprise purely because they have been written off.
As a Stormer I hope they go out and smash the Cheataders, simply to see the Kiwis crying into their beers….
July 19th, 2012 at 12:53 pm
It would be awesome to have the following semi:
Chief v Bulls
Stormers v Sharks
July 20th, 2012 at 10:03 am
Reply to Blokkies @ 12:16 pm:
Me too…
Tomorrow
My blood is blue
July 20th, 2012 at 10:04 am
And of course
Sharks
Love them or fear them
We are black we are white
We are dynamite
Fok I can’t believe those words came from my fingers…
July 20th, 2012 at 10:06 am
Reply to DavidS @ 10:04 am:
I think most of us will be supporting the Bulls and the Sharks – yes even the sharks!!