Bulls stick to winning formula‚ overlook returning Springbok duo

20 September 2016 - 18:20 By Chumani Bambani

The Blue Bulls will not make use of their Springbok duo of Trevor Nyakane and Rudy Paige‚ who have been made available to the side this week‚ when they take on Boland Cavaliers in a Currie Cup clash on Friday. With the Boks on a break from their Rugby Championship campaign‚ which kicks back in next week‚ national coach Allister Coetzee has released some players to their provinces to gain some game time ahead of their next test against the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld on October 1.With the Bulls having gained some good momentum and having obtained a firm grip on a possible Currie Cup semifinal berth‚ the Pretoria side’s coach Nollis Marais has declined the opportunity to field the loosehead prop and scrumhalf in their last round-robin match of the season to be played in Wellington on Friday.“We obviously want to give them some game time as well‚” Marais said on Tuesday.“I spoke to [Springbok] coach Allister (Coetzee) today and explained to him that the guys only joined us this morning and we have a short week‚ and we are playing on Friday at 3pm . So I don’t think that changing the side would be the correct thing to do now.”Explaining his decision even further‚ Marais pointed out that Nyakane has not been part of the Bulls set up for a while now after he sustained an ankle injury in the latter stages of the Super Rugby season.“Trevor has not trained or played with us even in our last few games of Super Rugby‚ so I don’t think it’s the right thing to change the team now. If they could have trained with us for two or three weeks it would be fine‚” the Bulls coach said.“I spoke to the two players as well and they understand. The time constraint is just not right for us.”Marais has opted for continuity as his side winds down the pool stages of the domestic competition.Keeping the tactic he has implemented since the start of the season‚ Marais has altered the front row with loosehead prop Lizo Gqoboka‚ hooker Bandise Maku and tighthead Jacobie Adriaanse getting starting berths.Following a stellar performance after coming on as a substitute last weekend against the Griquas‚ Bjorn Basson has also been included in the starting lineup‚ replacing Travis Ismaiel‚ who sustained a groin injury‚ on the wing.The Bulls team is: Ulrich Beyers‚ Jamba Ulengo‚ Dries Swanepoel‚ Burger Odendaal‚ Bjorn Basson‚ Tian Schoeman‚ Piet van Zyl‚ Hanro Liebenberg‚ Nic de Jager‚ Roelof Smit‚ Marvin Orie‚ RG Snyman‚ Jacobie Adriaanse‚ Bandise Maku‚ Lizo Gqoboka. Replacements: Jaco Visagie‚ Martin Dreyer‚ Jason Jenkins‚ Jannes Kirsten‚ Andre Warner‚ Josh Stander‚ Divan Rossouw. - TMG Digital..

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