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Brenden Nel - SuperSport
Pretoria - The Vodacom Bulls heaved a sigh of relief after their inspirational captain Victor Matfield was cleared to play in the opening game of their defence of their Super Rugby crown against the Lions on February 19.
Matfield has been battling with a neck strain and saw a specialist, who cleared him for the opening game, but advised that he rest for this weekend’s pre-season friendly against the Premier’s XV in Nelspruit.
This means that the vice-captain – Springbok Fourie du Preez – will make a welcome return to action from a shoulder injury that kept him off the field for eight months - and will be captain for the clash as well.
Matfield had been a source of worry for the medical team, but team doctor Org Strauss said it was more a precaution than anything else.
“He did see the specialist and the specialist has cleared him for the first game against the Lions. However with such a long season ahead of us, we are being cautious with the way we use players in these warm-up games,” Strauss told SuperSport.com
Only one survivor is left from last weekend’s shock loss to the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth, with the Bulls bringing back their big name players for the clash in Nelspruit. Midfielder Stephan Dippenaar is the only player that started against the Kings in the 23-7 loss.
The Bulls bring back six Springboks from injury, with midfielder Wynand Olivier, wing Bjorn Basson, Du Preez, utility forward Danie Rossouw, hooker Gary Botha and SA Rugby Player of the year Gürthro Steenkamp all returning after either being injured in the Currie Cup or on the Springbok tour.
Basson will make his debut for the Bulls, while Chiliboy Ralepelle, who was last week exonerated of any wrongdoing after being tested positive for a banned substance on the Bok tour, is on the bench.
Other than Matfield, the Bulls did not consider Springboks Francois Hougaard (foot injury), Flip van der Merwe (ankle), Jaco Pretorius (back strain) and former Northampton Saints lock Juandre Kruger (broken finger). Prop Werner Kruger has been given the weekend off for personal reasons.
Bulls: Zane Kirchner; Gerhard van den Heever, Stephan Dippenaar, Wynand Olivier, Bjorn Basson; Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez (c); Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Danie Rossouw, Bakkies Botha, Rossouw de Klerk, Gary Botha, Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Dean Greyling, Frik Kirsten, Fudge Mabeta, Ruan Snyman, Stefan Watermeyer, Francois Brummer, Akona Ndungane, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Derick Kuun.
