Bulls:
15 Warrick Gelant, 14. Cornal Hendricks, 13. Nafi Tuitavake, 12. Johnny Kotze, 11. Rosko Specman, 10. Manie Libbok, 9. Embrose Papier,
8 Muller Uys, 7. Josh Strauss, 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Ian Groenewald, 3. Trevor Nyakane (C), 2. Jaco Visagie, 1. Lizo Gqoboka.

Replacements:
16 Corniel Els, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Wiehahn Herbst, 19. Ryno Pieterse, 20. Ruan Steenkamp, 21. Ivan van Zyl, 22. Morné Steyn, 23. Divan Rossouw.

.

Muller Uys and Ian Groenewald will both make their Vodacom Super Rugby debuts when the Vodacom Bulls host the Highlanders on Saturday, 7 March 2020.

Uys has more than proven his worth at junior level as the no.8 led the Vodacom Blue Bulls U21 to the SA Rugby U21 Championship final last year, where they put in an emphatic effort to beat his former team, DHL Western Province U21.

Groenewald has seen a fair bit of rugby with his journey starting with FNB Maties while representing DHL Western Province and Tafel Lager Griquas domestically. The 28-year-old lock also represented Italian club, Verona.

Big things are expected from these two players as they have impressed throughout training and warm-up matches, and now have the opportunity to stake a more permanent position within the Vodacom Bulls.

Their inclusion at no.8 and lock respectively is two of three changes with Ruan Nortje slotting in as Groenewald’s lock partner.

Vodacom Bulls head coach, Pote Human, made one change to the backs as Manie Libbok gets his first start of the season with Morné Steyn shifting to the bench.

Highlanders:
Michael Collins, Josh McKay, Ngane Punivai, Josh Ioane, Jona Nareki, Mitch Hunt, Aaron Smith, Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, Dillon Hunt, Shannon Frizell, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Jesse Parete, Siate Tokolahi, Liam Coltman, Ayden Johnstone.

Replacements: Ash Dixon (cc), Daniel Lienert-Brown, Jeff Thwaites, Jack Whetton, Teariki Ben-Nicholas, Kayne Hammington, Teihorangi Walden, Tima Fainga'anuku.

@Bovidae said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

Replacements: Ash Dixon (cc), Daniel Lienert-Brown, Jeff Thwaites, Jack Whetton, Teariki Ben-Nicholas, Kayne Hammington, Teihorangi Walden, Tima Fainga'anuku.

LOL, @Bones is getting the full Blues fan treatment.

Some Bulls fans enjoying last weeks loss to the Jags!

@Tim said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

@Bovidae said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

Replacements: Ash Dixon (cc), Daniel Lienert-Brown, Jeff Thwaites, Jack Whetton, Teariki Ben-Nicholas, Kayne Hammington, Teihorangi Walden, Tima Fainga'anuku.

LOL, @Bones is getting the full Blues fan treatment.

Gfys

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

Some Bulls fans enjoying last weeks loss to the Jags!

View embedded content

thank you, i enjoyed that

I'm not much of a fighter, but if some old fluffybunny grabbed me by the hair and punched me in the face i'm throwing hands

I get the impression, looking at these blokes, that punching them in their thick skulls is more likely to break your hand than hurt them.

Well at least with the Landers in their change strip they don't look almost exactly like the bulls.

Like the commentators are saying this is fucken ridiculous.

@Bones said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

Well at least with the Landers in their change strip they don't look almost exactly like the bulls.

You had one fucking job

Beautifully worked try. Gee I wonder why we all of a sudden look dangerous and organised. Who's that in 22? He's on early...

Dillon you fucken Muppet. Greedy fluffybunny.

Kidding me!! Wtf was that Smith!

I'm gonna assume Walden is off again with our sharp rise in shitness.

McKay is proving a good replacement for Li.

This match is so fucking loose.

Its taken me almost the whole half to determine that there are two teams out there. as to me I swear there are just thirty players playing rounders.

@Jailbreak7 said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

Its taken me almost the whole half to determine that there are two teams out there. as to me I swear there are just thirty players playing rounders.

Bulls see sense and change their jerseys. Nzru have absolutely ballsed up jerseys this year. Dumb.

Just surprised it took a whole half . lol

@MiketheSnow said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

This match is so fucking loose.

By loose do you mean shit?

Bulls are terrible, clan are worse!

The more things change .....

Over to poms Taffs. Hopefully no SA TMO.

Another match where NZ player stupidity is highly apparent. What's happened?

Mitch Hunt is an excellent player and deserves his spot. Ioane is a fantastic 12, what a game breaker. McKay is electric and his error-free play is to be admired. Everybody should get on board with Crusader coaches, it's the way forward.

I blame Hammer. He's taken them light-years backwards.

@Jailbreak7 said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

I blame Hammer. He's taken them light-years backwards.

It's magic how he turns up at a pretty decent team, they go completely backwards whilst having baffling selection and frustrating, unexciting play.

Then repeats. How blind are those that hire him?

Bulls 38 Highlanders 13 FT

@Bones Yep. Even Brownie can't seem to pull them out their current slump.

@Jailbreak7 said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

@Bones Yep. Even Brownie can't seem to pull them out their current slump.

Not sure what the point of bringing him in was only to have him sit off to the side while the main "coaches" take the reigns.

Two bombed tries in the 18th minute. One at either end, both coach killers.

The depth in New Zealand rugby obviously doesn't extend to Dunedin.

@Bones said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

Mitch Hunt is an excellent player and deserves his spot. Ioane is a fantastic 12, what a game breaker. McKay is electric and his error-free play is to be admired. Everybody should get on board with Crusader coaches, it's the way forward.

You left Dillon out of your praise.

@antipodean said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

@Bones said in Bulls v Highlanders (round 6):

Mitch Hunt is an excellent player and deserves his spot. Ioane is a fantastic 12, what a game breaker. McKay is electric and his error-free play is to be admired. Everybody should get on board with Crusader coaches, it's the way forward.

You left Dillon out of your praise.

No one was to be aware that surplus hunting is an issue for NZ.