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Pretoria - Although Victor Matfield is the most experienced South African Super Rugby captain and on Saturday will become the Bulls’ most experienced player, he admits the butterflies are fluttering ahead of their big clash against the Stormers.
Matfield will play his 64th game as captain of the Bulls and will equal Pedrie Wannenburg’s record of 113 games matches for the team, yet he claims to still be as excited as ever.
“I must admit my nerves have been tingling all week, just like any other game against the Stormers,” he said at the Bulls team announcement on Wednesday.
Bakkies Botha is the only change to the starting line-up, while Gary Botha and Francois Hougaard have been included among the substitutes.
“We learnt the hard way two weeks ago that you cannot afford to be even a little bit below your best in any match. This match is a big one for us,” said Matfield.
“There is a big rivalry between us and the Stormers, especially now, because they were in the final last year and are a formidable team,” said Matfield.
Matfield last lost a Super Rugby match against a fellow South African team on February 4, 2007 against the Sharks, but he quickly dismissed the statistics.
“It doesn’t hinge on those sorts of results lists.”
“It doesn’t count a thing if you don’t give your best on Saturday.”
Personal duels between players are often a big discussion point when the Bulls play the Stormers, and Matfield has often been compared to his Bok team-mate, Andries Bekker.
The duels between No 8's Duane Vermeulen and Pierre Spies, flyhalves Peter Grant and Morné Steyn and flanks Francois Louw and Deon Stegmann are sure to have fans talking.
Teams:
Bulls:
15. Zane Kirchner, 14. Gerhard van den Heever, 13. Jaco Pretorius, 12. Wynand Olivier, 11. Bjorn Basson, 10. Morne Steyn, 9. Fourie du Preez, 8. Pierre Spies, 7. Dewald Potgieter, 6. Deon Stegmann, 5. Victor Matfield (captain), 4. Bakkies Botha, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1. Gurthro Steenkamp
Substitutes: 16. Gary Botha, 17. Rossouw de Klerk, 18. Flip van der Merwe, 19. Danie Rossouw, 20. Francois Brummer, 21. Francois Hougaard, 22. Derick Kuun
Stormers:
15. Gio Aplon, 14. Danie Poolman, 13. Jaque Fourie, 12. Jean de Villiers (captain), 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Peter Grant, 9. Dewaldt Duvenhage, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Francois Louw, 6. Pieter Louw, 5. Andries Bekker, 4. Rynhardt Elstadt, 3. Brok Harris, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. Wicus Blaauw
Substitutes: 16. Ethienne Reyneke, 17. CJ Van der Linde, 18. De Kock Steenkamp, 19. Nick Koster, 20. Ricky Januarie, 21. Gary van Aswegen, 22. Juan de Jongh
Pretoria - Although Victor Matfield is the most experienced South African Super Rugby captain and on Saturday will become the Bulls’ most experienced player, he admits the butterflies are fluttering ahead of their big clash against the Stormers.
Matfield will play his 64th game as captain of the Bulls and will equal Pedrie Wannenburg’s record of 113 games matches for the team, yet he claims to still be as excited as ever.
“I must admit my nerves have been tingling all week, just like any other game against the Stormers,” he said at the Bulls team announcement on Wednesday.
Bakkies Botha is the only change to the starting line-up, while Gary Botha and Francois Hougaard have been included among the substitutes.
“We learnt the hard way two weeks ago that you cannot afford to be even a little bit below your best in any match. This match is a big one for us,” said Matfield.
“There is a big rivalry between us and the Stormers, especially now, because they were in the final last year and are a formidable team,” said Matfield.
Matfield last lost a Super Rugby match against a fellow South African team on February 4, 2007 against the Sharks, but he quickly dismissed the statistics.
“It doesn’t hinge on those sorts of results lists.”
“It doesn’t count a thing if you don’t give your best on Saturday.”
Personal duels between players are often a big discussion point when the Bulls play the Stormers, and Matfield has often been compared to his Bok team-mate, Andries Bekker.
The duels between No 8's Duane Vermeulen and Pierre Spies, flyhalves Peter Grant and Morné Steyn and flanks Francois Louw and Deon Stegmann are sure to have fans talking.
Teams:
Bulls:
15. Zane Kirchner, 14. Gerhard van den Heever, 13. Jaco Pretorius, 12. Wynand Olivier, 11. Bjorn Basson, 10. Morne Steyn, 9. Fourie du Preez, 8. Pierre Spies, 7. Dewald Potgieter, 6. Deon Stegmann, 5. Victor Matfield (captain), 4. Bakkies Botha, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1. Gurthro Steenkamp
Substitutes: 16. Gary Botha, 17. Rossouw de Klerk, 18. Flip van der Merwe, 19. Danie Rossouw, 20. Francois Brummer, 21. Francois Hougaard, 22. Derick Kuun
Stormers:
15. Gio Aplon, 14. Danie Poolman, 13. Jaque Fourie, 12. Jean de Villiers (captain), 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Peter Grant, 9. Dewaldt Duvenhage, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Francois Louw, 6. Pieter Louw, 5. Andries Bekker, 4. Rynhardt Elstadt, 3. Brok Harris, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. Wicus Blaauw
Substitutes: 16. Ethienne Reyneke, 17. CJ Van der Linde, 18. De Kock Steenkamp, 19. Nick Koster, 20. Ricky Januarie, 21. Gary van Aswegen, 22. Juan de Jongh
