Vodacom Bulls head coach, Pote Human, has selected a relatively unchanged team with Wian Vosloo the only new face in the starting lineup. He takes over the no.7 jumper from Abongile Nonkontwana.
The bench sees two changes with Corniel Els and Ruan Steenkamp making their first appearances this season. Els replaces the injured Johan Grobbelaar while Steenkamp takes Vosloo’s place on the bench.
The men from Pretoria will be feeling the pressure as they are yet to register a win in 2020 but will take confidence in their ability as a unit and the fact that out of the nine matches played against the Blues at Loftus Versfeld, they have won six and drawn one.

A record the Vodacom Bulls would like to keep in the positive according to Human.

“We know that we need to win and have done our homework against the Blues with the added bonus of a bye week assisting us. They remain a threat as always but if we can starve them of the ball and make our opportunities stick then that should be enough to secure a valuable win.”

Vodacom Bulls: 15. Warrick Gelant, 14. Cornal Hendricks, 13. Johnny Kotze, 12. Burger Odendaal (C), 11. Rosko Specman, 10. Morné Steyn, 9. Ivan van Zyl, 8. Josh Strauss, 7. Wian Vosloo, 6. Jeandré Rudolph, 5. Juandré Kruger, 4. Andries Ferreira, 3. Trevor Nyakane, 2. Jaco Visagie, 1. Lizo Gqoboka.

Replacements: 16. Corniel Els, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Wiehahn Herbst, 19. Ruan Nortje, 20. Ruan Steenkamp, 21. Embrose Papier, 22. Manie Libbok, 23. Divan Rossouw.

It's a hard place to win.

It's even harder after a long trip, but this is our chance to get the season back on track. Really imporant game for the boys

Blues team to play the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld at 4.15am on Sunday is: 15. Stephen Perofeta, 14. Emoni Narawa, 13. Joe Marchant, 12. Harry Plummer, 11. Mark Telea, 10. Otere Black, 9. Jonathan Ruru, 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 7. Tony Lamborn, 6. Tom Robinson, 5. Jacob Pierce, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu , 3. Sione Mafileo, 2. James Parsons, 1. Karl Tu'inukuafe.

Reserves: 16. Kurt Eklund, 17. Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 18. Ofa Tuungafasi, 19. Aaron Carroll, 20. Dalton Papalii, 21. Sam Nock, 22. TJ Faiane, 23. Matt Duffie.

All three tens on the field, interesting

Happy to ses Pierce get a run - he's impressed at lower levels.

@KiwiMurph Haven't seen much of him. Any comment on how he plays, etc?

Always keen to see good locks come through

Is this just resting Faiane then? Thought he was one of the blues best last week.

19 Aaron Carroll,

Who?

@Machpants taking the AB blueprint a step further!

@nzzp said in Bulls v Blues:

@KiwiMurph Haven't seen much of him. Any comment on how he plays, etc?

Always keen to see good locks come through

I thought Pierce had a strong NPC. I wanted him to be given the first chance alongside Tuipulotu this year

He used to be bean pole 2.02m and not very heavy. He's packed on some weight and his workrate is still good

Early days in his career but he's a very promising prospect

@booboo said in Bulls v Blues:

19 Aaron Carroll,

Who?

BOP lock can't say I remember much of him during the NPC

He was added to the squad when Wardlaw had to withdraw. So he was initially outside the group of locks in NZ with a SR contract

So basically he's on the bench because of Goodhue, Tucker & Wardlaw injuries and the Blues wanted 4 locks for this match

@taniwharugby said in Bulls v Blues:

@Machpants taking the AB blueprint a step further!

Yes, but in order for them to be triple play makers, they all actually need to be, well, play makers.

@Machpants said in Bulls v Blues:

All three tens on the field, interesting

Two tens and Perofeta

Perofeta is a fullback.

I have a suspicion that Plummer will become a 12. He's a lot bigger than most 10's and he looks comfortable in his brief cameos at 12

(also I have a theory that real 2nd fives are about to make a return to NZ rugby)

MacDonald on Plummer

 Harry has played a lot at 12, especially through the age-groups. More recently he's been a 10, but he's a big, strong guy and I think he suits 12. He's quite physical in the way he carries and his breakdown work.

Rieko will be back in the Stormers match

MacDonald confirmed All Blacks wing Rieko Ioane, who was part of the touring party, was not available for the Bulls match. He said the plan had always been to re-introduce him from his hand fracture for the second match against the Stormers

Yeah as much as I dont rate these 3 players as 10s and dont really like the idea of all 3 of them being on the field at once, if hes going with that approach then Black at 10 and Plumber at 12 isn't too bad. Keeps perofeta out of the way.

Who's kicking goals?

@Duluth said in Bulls v Blues:

(also I have a theory that real 2nd fives are about to make a return to NZ rugby)

Yes!!!! Like Walter Little style! Big cross field wipers kick here we come!

@JK said in Bulls v Blues:

Who's kicking goals?

Our kickers don't kick goals.

true that mate. Think Black may be taking the attempts? Or Plumber?

@JK Black would probably have more chance of getting it in the vicinity of the posts than the other two have recently.

@Snowy said in Bulls v Blues:

Black would probably have more chance of getting it in the vicinity of the posts than the other two have recently.

Plummer is 3/4 this year. That was his success %age for Auckland last year too

He's been kicking well in the warmups. His technical issues from last SR season where the ball would die mid flight appear to be behind him

Perofeta has been awful

I expect Black to be the kicker though

@Duluth said in Bulls v Blues:

Plummer is 3/4 this year. That was his success %age for Auckland last year too

Yeah. I know he's not as bad has been made out, but tend to remember the misses rather than the hits (and I was also suggesting that it would be Black).

Agree about Perofeta, terrible.

Perofeta 5/12

Perofeta seems better from out wide but anything from in front or even 10m either side of the posts appears near impossible for him

@Bones said in Bulls v Blues:

Is this just resting Faiane then? Thought he was one of the blues best last week.

Sounds like its a combination of resting Faiane, needing more kicking options at altitude and giving Plummer an opportunity at 12 where he has played a lot of rugby growing up.

@JK said in Bulls v Blues:

Perofeta seems better from out wide but anything from in front or even 10m either side of the posts appears near impossible for him

That's what makes it appear even worse - missing the very getable ones.

@Snowy said in Bulls v Blues:

@JK said in Bulls v Blues:

Perofeta seems better from out wide but anything from in front or even 10m either side of the posts appears near impossible for him

That's what makes it appear even worse - missing the very getable ones.

I find it easier for my mental health to assume he's going to miss every kick.

@Kirwan And a fairly accurate assumption too.

MacDonald confirmed Black, the most accurate of the Blues’ goalkickers, would get the kicking duties.

Hopefully Narawa gets a decent amount of ball. He had some freakish moments during the NPC

This video is only from the Northland match but it gives you an idea about his balance/swerve etc

@Duluth Lovely body swerve AND soft hands!

Looks like rain forecast.

I'm picking a tiny crowd.

Is anybody watching the Stormers v Jaguares. Yet another advert to ditch this bullshit system of home country refs. Ref Rasta making up rules and disallowing a fantastic Jaquares try

I mean if your refs are incompetent most of the time, neutral refs are just a no brainer

Just tuned in. Is the ref Nic Berry?

There's hardly a crowd; all those empty blue seats ...

Most boring 20 minutes of the 2020 SR season that I've watched thus far. Maybe that will change now that Ferreira has been sent to the bin.

Shoulder charge? Where was the direct contact?

Looks like direct contact with the head. What colour of card? Red?

@Stargazer said in Bulls v Blues:

Shoulder charge? Where was the direct contact?

Looked like direct contact shoulder to head to me - red coming up?

Hmm, Narawa ducking considered enough mititgation. It's a yellow. Bulls down to 13 men.