Bulls find no place for Sadie
by Brenden Nel 14 August 2012, 16:42
Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar named a side almost identical to the one that beat GWK Griquas in their opening encounter for this weekend’s Absa Currie Cup clash against Toyota Free State Cheetahs, but there was no place for midfielder Johann Sadie in the match 22.
Pienaar changed just one spot in the starting line-up, an enforced move with flanker Arno Botha ruled out with a hamstring injury and CJ Stander, who was on the bench last week, coming into the starting line-up. Warwick Tecklenburg takes his place on the bench.
But while the team announcement went down as expected, it was Sadie’s position that created more of an interest, especially as the midfielder had missed the opening fixture with injury and the Bulls had trumpeted his return to fitness earlier in the week.
As predicted though, the Blue Bulls coach was set to reward the youngsters for their form in the opening fixture, and wanted to retain the same side to capitalise on the momentum from the opening victory.
That was not the only reason that Sadie wasn’t chosen for the Bloemfontein trip, against a team he recently signed for after being unhappy at the amount of game time he was receiving at the Bulls.
“I just felt that Johann hasn’t had any game time since May and was out with injury, that he should have another week to work on his sharpness and conditioning. He is likely to be in the mix next week,” Pienaar said the midfielder.
There were other interesting selections, like Bok Werner Kruger’s continued spell on the bench behind Frik Kirsten, but Pienaar wants to ease the prop back into the starting line-up after three years of non-stop rugby.
Kruger has played 80 minutes in almost every game since he became a Bull and has rarely missed a chance to be in the starting line-up. The strategy allows him a lighter workload while allowing Kirsten to establish himself in the domestic rugby scene.
The side will be captained by Dewald Potgieter once again.
VODACOM BLUE BULLS: Jürgen Visser, Akona Ndungane, Ulrich Beyers, Francois Venter, Clayton Blommetjies, Louis Fouchè, Ruan Snyman, Dewald Potgieter (c), CJ Stander, Deon Stegmann, Cornell Hess, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Frik Kirsten, Willie Wepener, Dawie Steyn.
REPLACEMENTS: Robbie Coetzee, Werner Kruger, Grant Hattingh, Warwick Tecklenburg, Lohan Jacobs, Lionel Cronjè, Jan Serfontein.
