When: 21 April 2018
When: 15h05

Where:



Who:



Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Divan Rossouw, Handre Pollard, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Pierre Schoeman
Substitutes: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Frans van Wyk, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Shaun Adendorff, 21 Andre Warner, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Duncan Matthews
vs



1. Tetera Faulkner
2. Anaru Rangi
3. Sam Talakai
4. Matt Philip
5. Adam Coleman (capt)
6. Ross Haylett-Petty
7. Angus Cottrell
8. Amanaki Mafi

9. Michael Ruru
10. Jack Debreczeni
11. Marika Koroibete
12. Reece Hodge
13. Tom English
14. Jack Maddocks
15. Dane Haylett-Petty

Reserves:
16. Jordan Uelese
17. Fereti Sa’aga
18. Jermaine Ainsley
19. Geoff Parling
20. Richard Hardwick
21. Harrison Goddard
22. Billy Meakes
23. Sefa Naivalu

Refs:
Referee Ben O'Keeffe
AR1 Rasta Rasivhenge
AR2 AJ Jacobs
TMO Willie Vos

Nice OP but why a wildebeest and not an eland?

Main point for me will be if the Bulls can follow up the good win over the Sharks with another good performance.

Players I want to perform well with an eye on the England tests : Strauss, Lood, RG Snyman, Roelof Smit, Warner (if fit), Pollard, Burger Odendaal, Jesse Kriel, Gelant.

No Eland on the reserve.
This is a BLOU Wildebeest!

Don't fudge this up!
Rebels can be very dangerous

This should be a cracker.


My match of the weekend.

Who would have thought.

Bulls are looking ominous

The Melbourne Rebels have today flown to South Africa for a two-match itinerary to face the Bulls (April 21) and Stormers (April 27).

The 27-man squad will depart Sydney on Monday morning, with Fereti Sa’aga, Matt Philip, Angus Cottrell, Harrison Goddard, Sama Malolo and Pone Fa’amausli added to the travelling party.

Will Genia and Ben Daley are the two changes from the playing 23 from Saturday’s match against the Jaguares in Melbourne.

South Africa squad as follows:


Forwards:
Adam Coleman (C)
Amanaki Mafi
Anaru Rangi
Angus Cottrell
Colby Fainga’a
Fereti Sa’aga
Geoff Parling
Jermaine Ainsley
Jordan Uelese
Lopeti Timani
Matt Philip
Pone Fa’amausili
Richard Hardwick
Ross Haylett-Petty
Sam Talakai
Sama Malolo
Tetera Faulkner


Backs:
Billy Meakes
Dane Haylett-Petty
Harrison Goddard
Jack Debreczeni
Jack Maddocks
Marika Koroibete
Michael Ruru
Reece Hodge
Sefa Naivalu
Tom English

Match Bulls v Rebels @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Date Saturday 21 April
Kick-off 15:05 local
Referee Ben O'Keeffe
AR1 Rasta Rasivhenge
AR2 AJ Jacobs
TMO Willie Vos

A return from injury for centre Reece Hodge, headlines three changes to the starting XV for the Melbourne Rebels ahead of their clash against the Bulls in Pretoria this Saturday.

Hodge joins lock Matt Philip, back-rower Angus Cottrell and half back Michael Ruru as the inclusions in the starting line-up. Ruru will make his first-ever Rebels start, after Will Genia suffered a hamstring injury in the loss to Jaguares in the last round.

Billy Meakes and Geoff Parling will start on the bench, making way for Hodge and Phillip respectively. Ruru’s elevation to the starting line-up means a potential season debut for young half back, Harrison Goddard.

Cottrell returns to the starting line-up since re-committing to the Melbourne Rebels, while Richard Hardwick shook off any concussion concerns from the Jaguares match and will start on the bench. Fereti Sa’aga also returns for his first match after missing matches against the Hurricanes and Jaguares, replacing the injured Ben Daley (shoulder).

Fly half Jack Debreczeni will celebrate a special personal milestone, reaching 50 Melbourne Rebels and Super Rugby caps this Saturday.

Rebels Head Coach, Dave Wessels, said playing in South Africa was exciting challenge for the squad.

“The Rebels have never won in South Africa, but to change that we’re going to have to play well against a very good Bulls team,” Wessels said.

“It’s exciting for guys like Michael (Ruru) and Harrison (Goddard); they have a great opportunity to impose themselves on the Super Rugby competition.

“The Bulls have played very well in the last few weeks and they’re obviously well-coached. We know that we’re going to have to be at our best.”



2018 Vodafone Super Rugby, Round 10

Bulls vs Melbourne Rebels

Saturday 21 April 2018

AAMI Park, Melbourne

Kick-Off: 3.05pm (SAST), 11.05pm (AEST)



Melbourne Rebels team vs Bulls on Saturday 21 April, 2018 at Pretoria, South Africa:

1. Tetera Faulkner
2. Anaru Rangi
3. Sam Talakai
4. Matt Philip
5. Adam Coleman (capt)
6. Ross Haylett-Petty
7. Angus Cottrell
8. Amanaki Mafi

9. Michael Ruru
10. Jack Debreczeni
11. Marika Koroibete
12. Reece Hodge
13. Tom English
14. Jack Maddocks
15. Dane Haylett-Petty

Reserves:
16. Jordan Uelese
17. Fereti Sa’aga
18. Jermaine Ainsley
19. Geoff Parling
20. Richard Hardwick
21. Harrison Goddard
22. Billy Meakes
23. Sefa Naivalu

Would have preferred to have seen either Fingers or Hardwick at 7. But otherwise a pretty good team.
Although something has to be done about Debra, he is hurting attack.

Why isn't Uelese starting? Third game in a row on the bench

Wessels feels Rangi is performing better than him?
Rangi adds a lot of physicality around the park and is a bit more experienced than Uelese.

Dave Wessels - it will be interesting to see how he tackles the Saffers at home.
No pushover, this lad ..

Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Divan Rossouw, Handre Pollard, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Pierre Schoeman
Substitutes: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Frans van Wyk, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Shaun Adendorff, 21 Andre Warner, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Duncan Matthews

I'm betting on a high scoring game here...

Rebels are listless without Genia.

Come on Bulls. Another good performance this week please.

Yes Please.

My second team atm. Want Mitchell to do well and really like a few players on the Bulls team.

And then there is Kriel.

For all the little childish bullcrap between you and Sards, going back and forth, back and forth you two are actually cut from the same cloth when it comes to your personal preferred players. If you actually watched any Bulls games so far this season you would have realised the Jessie Kriel has played bloody well. Actually he has been one of their best players. FFS man, give credit where credit is due and use your brains instead of your dick when jugging players.

Yes he has. He's done well and I'll give him that credit. When I refer to him, I just don't rate him as a world class 13 and that is something I'd like at the Boks (think J. Fourie for example) and yes...that may be a personal preference. We all have them.

We wont have to worry about shaky Debra this week because the Rebels will get absolutely pumped up front and see very little ball.

The combo of Ruru and Debra is probably the worst in Super Rugby.

Frankly no one on here gives two fucks about who you rate or not. They take your ratings in the same light as they take Sards. Kriel is a good player who has lightning speed, strength and amazing acceleration. He has all the attributes to be a great centre and could be an absolutely brutal player if used correctly. I for one would not be surprised if he turns out for the Boks again. Hopefully the new coach knows how to use him correctly this time.

Feeling is mutual boet

As for Kriel. I have no doubt he'll turn out for the Boks again, never said he wouldn't. Not sure I'd go as far as agreeing with you that he'd be a "brutal center" on the international stage. I think he's someone that would excel with a great support staff, meaning a great group of players around him but he's not the guy that I would build a backline around, if that make sense. Just from current SA players, I'd take Serfontein at 13 ahead of him. It's a real pity we don't get to see more of a Frans/Jan combo in the midfield imo.

When will Kriel show some sort of form that he could be a great centre? He's great at running to the sidelines cutting off his wings.

Should be a good game.

Bump!

Strauss

7-0

Strauss on fire

VIPBOX steam down

Bulls very unlucky with some of these calls.

Pollard _ Kriel combo

Bulls and Lions looking really really good

Kriel.
14-3

Sad that Loftus is so empty.
Years of poor coaching and results for teams and Boks have ruined the the game for spectators.

Not the best decision to throw to the shortest man in the forward pack.