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Pienaar picks same 22
17 October 2012

Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar made no changes to his side that beat the MTN Lions last weekend for their Absa Currie Cup semi-finals clash against The Sharks in Durban.

It is the first time this season that Pienaar could name the same 22 on consecutive weekends and the coach feels that this could help them carry some momentum into Saturday’s showdown.

“Nothing that happened during the normal part of the competition will matter on Saturday. This will be about 80 minutes and who executes best. It is nice to know that we have some momentum with us, following the return of our Springboks and the way they came into the team,” Pienaar said.

“We finished well last weekend and will be looking to continue with that. We will have to start well, as the Sharks have proved many times that they know how to close out games when leading on the scoreboard.”

Vodacom Blue Bulls captain, Dewald Potgieter, points to the fact that at least half of the squad has won the Currie Cup in their careers.

“We know what a special effort will be needed to go all the way. We have been with our back against the walls for long spells this season, but responded every time, which is typical of the characters you find in this squad. They won’t quit and that will be the mind-set again this weekend against a team that is well respected, but not unbeatable.”

The team to play the Sharks is: Zane Kirchner, Akona Ndungane, JJ Engelbrecht, Francois Venter, Bjorn Basson, Mornè Steyn, Jano Vermaak, Arno Botha, Jacques Potgieter, Dewald Potgieter ©, Juandrè Kruger, Flip van der Merwe, Werner Kruger, Willie Wepener, Mornè Mellett. Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Frik Kirsten, Wilhelm Steenkamp, CJ Stander, Francois Hougaard, Louis Fouchè, Dean Greyling.

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Comments
28
Bulle gaan nooit wen met hierdei F&^^&%^ ref nie, die reels geld net vir die Bulle, Sharks kom weg met moord!
Posted by Barrybul on 20 October 2012 17:31
27
@ Pieter.Sorry vir my opmerking oor Pine. Dit is nie my plek om te se hy is nie die man vir die Bulle nie.. En ja, ek sal ondersteun en skree tot ek blou is!! Ek hou vir die manne duim vas, en dit sal tog so lekker wees as die CB weer Loftus toe kom. Go Bulle!!!
Posted by bulbaas on 18 October 2012 14:31
26
@25, I agree its not a good time to fight over the coach now, we are in the semifinals, so lets support our Blue Bull team full out and calm down over the coach issue for this weekend and maybe still next weekend as well;-)
Posted by BillyO on 18 October 2012 08:22
25
For what it's worth........

Pine currently needs our support as he will be leading OUR team into a very difficult match on the weekend. The debate whether he is capable or not does not need to happen now we have a 2 month off-season where very little else will probably on the agenda.

But now that we are here. I believe he has achieved a stay of execution, and here everyone needs to be objective. How was his season compared to last year? Easy we are in the play-offs and we weren't last year. So yes he has improved our results from last year. But off course there some of us that says it is not the result but the way in which it was achieved. Well if you look at that it is not as clear as nobody is currently sure of the way we play and how it will bring success. Pine does have need a bit of sympathy here as the Bulls (and him ) lost a tremendous amount of technical support and knowledge since last year, some of it are still not replaced. He has also lost some experience since last year (Gary Botha for instance) and the most unpredictable was the loss of form of our two first choice props who turned into Jelly. I'm a firm believer in the Danie Craven cliche that the first player selected is the tighthead prop and the second his replacement. I really hope Marcell vd Merwe develops into a massive tighthead prop as tht is our biggest single risk currently. If you look at what hppened on Saturday between WP and FS while Coenie was on at 3 the Cheetahs hung in there when Ross Geldenhuys came on he was shoved around like a mop and the Cheetahs fell apart. The Bulls needs to find quality tight players as a matter of urgency we are severly restricted in those positions.
Posted by Blue Blue Moon on 18 October 2012 07:47
24
pine pienaar is nie die antwoord as bloubul afigter nie. Hy is bb23 se keuse. Wat ons nou red is die bokke wat terug is. Sonder hulle was ons nou in relegasie wedstryd teen die kngs en nie die cheetahs nie. Ons kan die sards klop saterdag en dit sal nie wees ss gevolg van pine pienaar nie. Gee hm die eer.
Posted by Bluedog on 18 October 2012 06:39
23
@20, ek moet jou daar bietjie ondersteun, n afrigtingspan bestaan uit BAIE meer mense as net die EEN hoofafrigter!
Posted by BillyO on 17 October 2012 20:09
22
@Pieter#01, ek moet Pine krediet gee, dit was n baie sinvolle keuse om die span dieselfde te hou. Daai groep spelers weet hulle KAN dit doen!! Pine Pienaar jy begin my oortuig dat jy goed genoeg is:-) Kzn bul, ek hoop daai klomp Shark ondersteuners gee jou nie teveel grief daar in Durban nie lol:-) Mark Lawrence is dalk n baie beter keuse as Chaplan of Peyper, want die 2 laasgenoemde here is meeste van die tyd die klits kwyt
Posted by BillyO on 17 October 2012 20:01
21
Ongelukkig is Mark Lawrence n Sharks ondersteuner! Verwag maar baie strafskoppe teen die Bulle - die soort strafskoppe wanneer die kommentators se die Bulle was ''baie ongelukkig om daar gestraf te word''.
Posted by Loftus123 on 17 October 2012 19:21
20
Bul baas, gelukkig is jy nie die baas van die bulle nie. Dit is nie ek of jy wat Pine se prestasie gaan beoordeel nie. Indien die bulle die cb wen, dink jy hulle sal Pine laat gaan? Daar is net een ding wat ek en jy nou kan doen. HELP my en talle ondersteuners en ondersteun die afrigter, sy paar helpers en die span. ASSEBLIEF ! ! !
Posted by Pieter#01 on 17 October 2012 16:29
19
17. Mark Lawrence ek dink.
Posted by Richie Bloumasjien on 17 October 2012 15:20
18
@14 & 15. Stem saam, dit is als te danke aan die spelers. Pine is nie die regte man vir die Bulle span nie.
Posted by bulbaas on 17 October 2012 14:53
17
Wie is die ref saterdag? Hoop net nie dit is daardie irriterende mannetjie nie (JP)
Posted by Frik on 17 October 2012 14:45
16
Louis k die vol voorry is eers van volgende jaar af maar dit het al in werking getree in die noordelike halfrond
Posted by Nelladb on 17 October 2012 14:02
15
@14 ek stem!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by KemptonBlouBul on 17 October 2012 13:57
14
@10 ek dink nie so nie, ek dink nogsteeds hy moet gaan, ek dink die spelers het die seisoen omgedraai en NIE Pine nie.
Posted by Nitronic on 17 October 2012 13:45
13
Hi almal, sien Jean de Villiers is ook op krukkelys vir Saterdag. Die briesies se kanse begin al hoe geringer lyk teen die Leeus. Kom ons hoop vir 'n Bulls vs Leeus finaal!
Posted by KemptonBlouBul on 17 October 2012 13:33
12
Gr8 idea to keep the team together and gain momentum. We can beat the fish with ease if we just dont make careless mistakes and defend with everything we got. It is going to be so fantastic winning the semi fnal after being bottom of the log for most of the Currie Cup. Hopefull a Bulls / Lions final. GO BULLS !!!
Posted by BullsRbest on 17 October 2012 13:28
11
Dis net baie jammer Hougie is nie nege nie. Ons breek die man met die x factor!!!
Posted by maxwax on 17 October 2012 13:14
10
Afgesien van wen of verloor SAterdag , dink julle Pine het genoeg gedoen om aan te bly? Dit is sy 2de seisoen by die Bulle as ek reg onthou?
Posted by Andre Jnr on 17 October 2012 13:12
9
Die BULLE gan dit doen Saterdag!!!!! Great 22.......Sterkte manne!
Posted by Andre Jnr on 17 October 2012 13:12
8
It appears that our Union suffers from "dog in the manger" illness, contracts young promising players with the intent of sqirreling them away so they cannot play for any other province.
Posted by Thurlow on 17 October 2012 12:29
7
weet iemand wanneer kom daai reel dat die bank uit 8 moet bestaan en 3 moet n heele voory wees?
Posted by louisk on 17 October 2012 12:26
6
Bring Small-smith in op buite senter - hy is ons volgende No13. Het heeltemal herstel na kniebesering.
Hy tackle briljant en is n great verspreider van die bal. Langs Venter ( albei Oud Greys) sal hy uitstekend doen.
Posted by passdiebal on 17 October 2012 12:25
5
die bank lyk goed -kan goei inpak maak dis wat ons soek daai laaste 20 min game breukers
Posted by louisk on 17 October 2012 12:25
4
Daar is slegs 1 verandering wat ek sal maak
Posted by passdiebal on 17 October 2012 12:22
3
Ons kan dit maak saterdag.. Geen twyfel oor dit nie...

Eerstens JJ, moet net leer om deur die gap te hardloop soos hy baie goed doen en dan op sy voete te bly en dan te offload, Met Basson en Ndugane in support = Try Time...

Ons gan moet sterk voor wees.. So Die Potties moet rerig hulle deel bring soos altyd...

Sterkte Manne...
Posted by Carel Support on 17 October 2012 12:08
2
2 de soos die Sharks Saterdag !!!!
Posted by Richie Bloumasjien on 17 October 2012 12:00
1
Nou die Blou!
Posted by Nitronic on 17 October 2012 11:56
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