The problems the Blue Bulls have endured in the scrums could soon be a thing of the past with the return of rejected Springbok prop Marcel van der Merwe, but there could be a selection conundrum in the midfield with another discarded Springbok in Jan Serfontein back in the reckoning.
Van der Merwe and Serfontein were part of a group of players deemed surplus to requirements after failing to make the cut for the World Cup squad.
The return of the duo to Currie Cup action for the Bulls will certainly add much needed experience to their campaign while also creating good depth at prop and at centre.
The biggest gain for the Bulls will undoubtedly be Van der Merwe and Bulls mentor Nollis Marais will waste no time in utilising his skill in the scrum against the Free State Cheetahs on Friday at Loftus Versfeld.
While the men from the capital city have excelled in most areas of the game, the frailties of their scrum from Super Rugby continue to be one of the few weaknesses in the side.
Marais might have to do a juggling act with his front row after it emerged yesterday that prop Dean Greyling might not be fit enough to face the Cheetahs as he is struggling with a knee injury. If Greyling is not fit then Marais could consider starting Van der Merwe on the loosehead or go with a complete overhaul of the props by dropping Werner Kruger at tighthead and starting with Van der Merwe while the evergreen Dayan van der Westhuizen will get his first start at loosehead.
Whatever the outcome is, the Bulls will surely have a better scrum which should lead to a much improved performance against a Cheetahs side that prides itself in their ability to dominate this area of the game.
Another selection poser for Marais will come in the midfield where he will be reluctant to break up the flourishing partnership between Burger Odendaal and Dries Swanepoel but the presence of Serfontein will force Marais into making changes.
It is more likely Serfontein will slot back at inside centre with Odendaal moving to 13 while Swanepoel might lose out and start off the bench. Yesterday also saw the return from injury of centre William Small-Smith and Roelof Smit. This will add to the depth and the fight for places in the match day 22.
Meanwhile the Blue Bulls Company announced the contract extensions of their top Springboks in Handre Pollard, Adriaan Strauss, Jesse Kriel (all until 2019), Trevor Nyakane (2018) and Serfontein (2017).
The Bulls have also gone shopping and will bring into their kraal Cheetahs flank Freddy Ngoza, prop Etienne Swa-nepoel, utility back Lihleli Xoli (both WP) and lock Le Roux Roets from the Golden Lions. All of them have signed until 2017.
There have been further contract extensions to four members of the current Bulls Currie Cup side with scrum-half Andre Warner, Swane-poel, Smit and Irne Herbst agreeing to stay on for a further two more seasons until 2017. - The Star