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Bulls backing 'special' Bjorn

J.J. Harmse

Pretoria - The Bulls are satisfied that they have the right left wing for Saturday's crucial Super Rugby match against the Stormers in Cape Town - and, according to backline coach Pieter Rossouw, a "more complete" Bjorn Basson awaits the home team.

In fact, Rossouw is expecting a special effort from his try-scoring machine, who has scored nine tries this season.

There is a lot of hype about the anticipated match-up between Basson and former Bulls hero Bryan Habana, but Rossouw is not uncertain about which player will triumph in the battle of the wings.

"Bjorn is a special player and we will definitely be expecting him to produce something special against the Stormers," said Rossouw.

"Both are very good players and in their previous encounter both scored a try off the other's mistake. I think that Bjorn is now more confident in the Bulls' system and way of playing.

"When we last played the Stormers he had not yet played for us much. He also did not have the advantage of pre-season preparation as the hearing for the alleged use of a banned stimulant was still pending."

The lightning-quick Basson only needs one try to wipe Habana out of the Bulls record books for tries in a Super Rugby season and has scored some sensational tries since returning from Australasia. He scored in successive games against the Cheetahs and Waratahs.

"We will definitely be looking to get the ball to Bjorn," said Rossouw.

Meanwhile, Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has decided to pick Danie Rossouw with Victor Matfield at lock, with the latter moving from the flank to the engine room.

Dewald Potgieter is back in the No 7 jersey and he, Deon Stegmann and Pierre Spies will play as a loose forward combination for the 10th time this year.

"Bakkies (Botha, knee) lost the race against time, but fortunately we have a lot of depth and quality in that position," said Ludeke.

Matfield and Rossouw will be playing their 115th game for the Bulls on Saturday, but the captain said it would not count for much.

"It's about what happens between the lines on Saturday. There it does not count how many games you have played - it does not count for anything on the scoreboard," said Matfield.

According to Matfield it's still a traditional North-South clash, but it hasn't been a case of the Bulls' forwards against the Stormers' backs for quite some time.

"Definitely not. The two teams are actually playing much the same kind of rugby these days, with the Stormers increasingly following our pattern for the last two years.

"They have a very good pack now and the Bulls have developed a very good backline. It will be very close and the team which executes their plan the best will win."
 
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