Prinsloo to lead Vodacom Blue Bulls to Kimberley
Boom Prinsloo will not only make his Currie Cup debut for the Vodacom Blue Bulls on Saturday, but will also wear the captain’s armband when the team takes on Tafel Lager Griquas in Kimberley.
The clash at Tafel Lager Park is the first of the 2017 Currie Cup season for both teams, with Vodacom Blue Bulls coach, Nollis Marais, naming a side full of Super Rugby, but low on Currie Cup experience to make the trip south. The whole starting team has Vodacom Super Rugby experience and only three players did not feature in the final match of that tournament for the Vodacom Bulls a week ago against DHL Stormers.
Franco Naude and Tony Jantjies are the only backs who has not played Currie Cup rugby before, with locks Abongile Nonkontwana and Ruben van Heerden also starting in this competition the first time.
Like Prinsloo, Conrad van Vuuren played for the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in the competition before they moved to Pretoria.
Marais said they have high expectations this season, after making the final in 2016.
“We are in a bit of a transition with regards to our approach going into the future, but the players know each other well, so communication should not be a problem for us,” he said.
“We have a tough opponent waiting for us in Kimberley. They did not make the finals of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge for nothing and will have good momentum from the last couple of weeks. It will be a huge challenge,” predicts Marais.
According to Prinsloo, they will face a determined home side. “To play Griquas in Kimberley is a huge match for any team, as they do not stop fighting for the whole 80 minutes. We need to execute well on attack and make sure our defence stay committed till the final whistle if we want to achieve a positive result. That said, the focus will be on what we want to achieve and our own mental toughness.”
The team (with Currie Cup caps and points) is: Warrick Gelant (16, 15), Travis Ismaiel (20, 40), Franco Naude (0, 0), Burger Odendaal (31, 20), Duncan Matthews (0, 0), Tony Jantjies (0, 0), Piet van Zyl (42, 45), Nic de Jager (7, 10), Jannes Kirsten (11, 10), Boom Prinsloo (c; 37, 60), Abongile Nonkontwana (0, 0), Ruben van Heerden (0, 0), Conraad van Vuuren (2, 0), Jaco Visagie (18, 0), Pierre Schoeman (13, 0). Replacements: Jan-Henning Campher (0, 0), John-Roy Jenkinson (34, 15), Freddy Ngoza (0, 0), Shaun Adendorff (5, 10), Andre Warner (8, 0), Tinus de Beer (0, 0), JT Jackson (0, 0).