A cloud of doubt has lingered over Loftus Versfeld since the beginning of this year’s Super Rugby competition and while many in the capital city believe that the Bulls have the personnel to go far in the competition, the true test of their championship credentials will be laid bare when they face the Crusaders at Loftus.
The seed of doubt cast about this Bulls team’s ability to emulate the triumphant feats of the teams of 2007, 2009 and 2010 had further been entrenched by Loftus Versfeld based franchise’s horrid start to the season where they lost two consecutive games but the mood has lifted in recent weeks and there is an air of belief after three successive victories.
But that belief will count for nought if the Bulls don’t express that on the field and team coach Frans Ludeke believes there is no better clash for his team than the almighty battle against Crusaders to prove that they are still title contenders.
This year’s Super Rugby competition may still be forging towards noon and it might be too early to proclaim title contenders but for the Bulls this will be their true test of character and ability of whether they still belong at Super Rugby’s top table.
Ludeke has had little to say to fire up his players this week but there is a general consensus among all at Loftus that nothing short of their best performance of the season will see them through against a star-studded Crusaders outfit that hasn’t won at Loftus in seven years.
“That is why we are involved in this wonderful game for the build-up in a season to a game like this. You need to be at your best, in fact that will be the case for both teams. A game against the Crusaders definitely gets the best out of the players,” said Ludeke yesterday.
In order to get the best performance out of his troops Ludeke has gone for his best team which sees the return of veteran lock Victor Matfield, Springbok prop Trevor Nyakane, prop Morné Mellet and flank Arno Botha to the starting line-up in a move that will certainly incense Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer as his Springbok players are yet to be rested by the Bulls.
Matfield will come face-to-face with his All Black adversary Sam Whitelock while Nyakane will have to anchor the Bulls scrum against a Crusaders scrum whose tactics have been questioned, this week, with critics going as far as calling the New Zealanders tactics illegal. The Crusaders have made some minor changes to their scrum in terms of personnel with Joe Moody replacing Wyatt Crockett at loosehead prop while Ben Funnell comes in place of Codie Taylor at hooker.
But the biggest blow to the Bulls team this week would have been the exclusion of in-form flank Lappies Labuschagne who underwent a minor operation yesterday to rectify a fracture in his nose.
While Labuschagne’s absence will be felt within the Bulls ranks, it does though open the door for Botha to finally stake a claim in the team while also proving to the national selectors that he is still Springbok material. Botha will be faced with the biggest test since his return from two career threatening injuries and that will be to match and be better than legendary All Black captain Richie McCaw. - The Star