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Cape Town - Sport24 readers appear unfazed by the prominence of Blue Bulls players in Heyneke Meyer's Springbok team to face Italy at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
The fans' approval is a strong indication of how dominant the Bulls have been in this year's Super Rugby, standing second overall in the Super Rugby log, and top of the South African Conference with a commanding eight-point lead over their nearest SA rivals, the Cheetahs.
Last year Meyer was criticised for picking too many Bulls players in the squad when the Bulls by their own lofty standards had a poor season, finishing second in the SA Super Rugby Conference and failing to reach the Currie Cup final.
Meyer's 23-man Springbok team to face Italy features 10 Bulls players, with six Bulls in the starting XV alone.
Provincial representation in the Springbok 23 is as follows: Bulls - 10, Cheetahs - 4, Sharks - 4, Stormers - 3, overseas-based - 2.
Provincial representation in the Springbok starting XV is as follows: Bulls - 6, Stormers - 3, Sharks - 3, Cheetahs - 2, overseas-based - 1.
The Springbok Test against Italy kicks off at 17:15, after the match between Scotland and Samoa, which starts at 14:15.
Teams:
South Africa:
15 Willie le Roux (Cheetahs), 14 Bryan Habana (Stormers), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (Bulls), 12 Jean de Villiers (Stormers, captain), 11 Bjorn Basson (Bulls), 10 Morné Steyn (Bulls), 9 Jano Vermaak (Bulls), 8 Pierre Spies (Bulls), 7 Willem Alberts (Sharks), 6 Francois Louw (Bath), 5 Juandré Kruger (Bulls), 4 Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), 3 Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), 2 Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs), 1 Beast Mtawarira (Sharks)
Substitutes: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle (Bulls), 17 Trevor Nyakane (Cheetahs), 18 Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), 19 Flip van der Merwe (Bulls), 20 Arno Botha (Bulls), 21 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster), 22 Pat Lambie (Sharks), 23 Jan Serfontein (Bulls)
Here's what Sport24 readers had to say about Heyneke Meyer's team:
"No surprises there, GOOD team!" - Visser Isak
"I think it is a great team. When your livelihood depends on the picking of a winning team and the ability to avoid injury you have to agree Meyer is going to pick the best he can." - Beastly
"I think it is a great team. When your livelihood depends on the picking of a winning team and the ability to avoid injury you have to agree Meyer is going to pick the best he can." - Andrew Gallagher
"Thanx HM for having some balls! LOVE this squad!" - Jaco Groenewald
"Vermaak and Willie in the starting 15, Hell yeah!" - Izzi Max
"Happy for JJ and congrats to all the new-comers." - Rene Muller
"Good looking team!" - Sarge le Poivre
"Good, balanced side and bench. Italians are going to have their hands full, Go Boks!" - Gary Doyle
"Powerful team , there is no reason we cant put 50 up on the Azzurri." - Munro Pretorius
"Once again Heynecke Meyer strikes a perfect balance between youth and experience." - Jeffrey Aucamp
"Good solid team.. Looking forward to matches." - Smurwe
"Couldn't ask for much more considering the injuries we have at the moment." - Gorge Manuel Lopez
Jan Serfontein was one of three Bulls debutants named in the Springbok 23. (Gallo Images)
The fans' approval is a strong indication of how dominant the Bulls have been in this year's Super Rugby, standing second overall in the Super Rugby log, and top of the South African Conference with a commanding eight-point lead over their nearest SA rivals, the Cheetahs.
Last year Meyer was criticised for picking too many Bulls players in the squad when the Bulls by their own lofty standards had a poor season, finishing second in the SA Super Rugby Conference and failing to reach the Currie Cup final.
Meyer's 23-man Springbok team to face Italy features 10 Bulls players, with six Bulls in the starting XV alone.
Provincial representation in the Springbok 23 is as follows: Bulls - 10, Cheetahs - 4, Sharks - 4, Stormers - 3, overseas-based - 2.
Provincial representation in the Springbok starting XV is as follows: Bulls - 6, Stormers - 3, Sharks - 3, Cheetahs - 2, overseas-based - 1.
The Springbok Test against Italy kicks off at 17:15, after the match between Scotland and Samoa, which starts at 14:15.
Teams:
South Africa:
15 Willie le Roux (Cheetahs), 14 Bryan Habana (Stormers), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (Bulls), 12 Jean de Villiers (Stormers, captain), 11 Bjorn Basson (Bulls), 10 Morné Steyn (Bulls), 9 Jano Vermaak (Bulls), 8 Pierre Spies (Bulls), 7 Willem Alberts (Sharks), 6 Francois Louw (Bath), 5 Juandré Kruger (Bulls), 4 Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), 3 Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), 2 Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs), 1 Beast Mtawarira (Sharks)
Substitutes: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle (Bulls), 17 Trevor Nyakane (Cheetahs), 18 Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), 19 Flip van der Merwe (Bulls), 20 Arno Botha (Bulls), 21 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster), 22 Pat Lambie (Sharks), 23 Jan Serfontein (Bulls)
Here's what Sport24 readers had to say about Heyneke Meyer's team:
"No surprises there, GOOD team!" - Visser Isak
"I think it is a great team. When your livelihood depends on the picking of a winning team and the ability to avoid injury you have to agree Meyer is going to pick the best he can." - Beastly
"I think it is a great team. When your livelihood depends on the picking of a winning team and the ability to avoid injury you have to agree Meyer is going to pick the best he can." - Andrew Gallagher
"Thanx HM for having some balls! LOVE this squad!" - Jaco Groenewald
"Vermaak and Willie in the starting 15, Hell yeah!" - Izzi Max
"Happy for JJ and congrats to all the new-comers." - Rene Muller
"Good looking team!" - Sarge le Poivre
"Good, balanced side and bench. Italians are going to have their hands full, Go Boks!" - Gary Doyle
"Powerful team , there is no reason we cant put 50 up on the Azzurri." - Munro Pretorius
"Once again Heynecke Meyer strikes a perfect balance between youth and experience." - Jeffrey Aucamp
"Good solid team.. Looking forward to matches." - Smurwe
"Couldn't ask for much more considering the injuries we have at the moment." - Gorge Manuel Lopez
Jan Serfontein was one of three Bulls debutants named in the Springbok 23. (Gallo Images)
