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Pretoria - The Vodacom Bulls will welcome back Derick Kuün from injury as the only change to their starting line-up for Saturday’s Vodacom Super 14 match against the Reds at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Kuün will finally get his 50th cap to celebrate his time at the Bulls where he has been a real team man - moving to hooker when the team needed it and back to flank this season - and will replace Deon Stegmann in the starting line-up. “Its rotation, nothing more, nothing less,” coach Frans Ludeke told Supersport.com although the cynics will point to the fact that Stegmann was penalised five times against the Blues, costing 9 points in the Bulls only loss this season.
He was also the centre of a poor touch judge decision by Kane McBride in Hamilton last weekend, which disallowed Fourie du Preez’ intercept try because of a late shoulder charge some six phases and two minutes before the incident. Stegmann also gave away three penalties in that game, costing three points.
However, as openside flankers often live on the edge, they are likely to be pinned at times, and to blame him for Du Preez’ try not being allowed, was rather unfortunate as the touch judge’s interference could more be called into question.
Kuün missed the Chiefs game through an ankle strain and is now able to become the 10th player in Bulls history to pass the half century mark.
The Bulls do have one or two minor worries though, as flanker Pedrie Wannenburg is struggling with a calf strain that could put his 92 consecutive game streak under threat. Wannenburg has been bracketed with prop Jaco Engels on a five-two bench but the coaching staff is confident that Wannenburg will be able to play.
John Mametsa’s late arrival from Pretoria has him also bracketed with scrumhalf Heini Adams, and a final decision will be taken after Mametsa undergoes his first practice session with the team on Wednesday.
Interestingly enough there is another milestone for the Bulls which will be celebrated this weekend as defence coach John McFarland will have his 100th game with the team, and with Quade Cooper in fine form, his work will be tested.
Pierre Spies (95), Fourie du Preez (90) and Wynand Olivier (90) all have a chance to score 100 points in Super Rugby while Morné Steyn (643 points) also has the opportunity to extend his Bulls points record in Super Rugby.
Team:
15 Zane Kirchner; 14 Gerhard van der Heever, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Francois Hougaard; 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez; 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Derick Kuün, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Reserves: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Bees Roux, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Deon Stegmann, 20 John Mametsa/Heini Adams, 21 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22. Pedrie Wannenberg/Jaco Engels.
