Lood de Jager back for Bulls in Currie Cup clash

Springbok Lood de Jager will power his Vodacom Blue Bulls side into their Currie Cup opener against Western Province on Saturday, and will “not be put in cotton wool”, according to coach Pote Human.

De Jager was named in the starting line-up for the opening game of the tournament as the Bulls named a strong side for the Cape Town match this weekend.

While most of it is a young squad, the Bulls boast an experienced backline and will need to focus up front if they are to win their opening match.

Human said that De Jager will be expected to contribute and not just be there to prove his fitness to the Bok squad.

“Lood is a world-class player, and we are fortunate to have him for this game, he must prove himself to Rassie, and he will bring something to the team especially because he has to prove a point,” Human said.

“He is ready and fit again. We will see how the game goes, but he is ready, we had a great session now, and he was in it the whole time. He is in a good mind frame, and he is physically right to play.”

While Province are promising chaos, the Bulls know they have a young but talented squad to try and mould into winners. They will use their performances in the semifinal last year, and the Super Rugby game – both which they narrowly lost – as motivation to get one over their arch rivals for the first time in a long time.

“It is a young squad again for Currie Cup, and the guys just have to use the opportunities then we can make it a great season,” Human said.

“Especially with our start against Province away then Cheetahs with a full Pro-14 team here. That is a challenge for our guys; we want to try and win this competition. It will be tough, I mean Province at Newlands is always a big game.”

"They will throw the ball around and we expect that from them. They have a X-factor players at the back but we are prepared for it."

Captain Burger Odendaal said the challenge for the team was to get an away win in a shortened competition, which would set them up for a good run.

"I was lucky to play in 2016 final, unfortunately, we got a hiding that day but it is a short round with three home games and if you can get an away win and points it will put you on a good spot on the log,” Odendaal said.

"There is no margin for error this year, six games, two semis and a final, so you have to give your all every game."

“We know it is not easy playing there, we talked about it in the week, and I think the last win we got there was in 2013 or something,” Odendaal said.

“We aren’t just going to pitch and win; we still have to put in a full 80 minutes because we know they are going to come for us.”

New recruit Wian Vosloo will start less than a week after arriving in Pretoria ahead of Roelof Smit at flank.

Vodacom Blue Bulls vs DHL Western Province team announcement #WPvVBB #BullsFamily #CurrieCupReloaded pic.twitter.com/DFNEY1MgdP

— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) July 10, 2019

Blue Bulls: 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Tim Agaba, 7 Wian Vosloo, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Ruan Nortje, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima

Substitutes: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Matthys Basson, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Jean Droste, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Dylan Sage