The Vodacom Blue Bulls, without two Springbok flanks in Dewald Potgieter and Deon Steggman this weekend, face a big Absa Currie Cup test as high-flying GWK Griquas head to Pretoria on Friday afternoon.
Last season, the Blue Bulls snuck home by one point in the corresponding fixture after a last-minute Griquas conversion sailed wide. That game, and their recent form, would’ve given the team from the Northern Cape a lot of confidence as they head up to the capital.
Furthermore, GWK Griquas will be bolstered by the return of their try-scoring scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius, who has missed the first five rounds of Absa Currie Cup because of a knee injury.
“It’s never easy at Loftus and I’m convinced this will be our hardest game of the season, because the Blue Bulls are playing to stay alive in the Absa Currie Cup. They are motivated to improve their position on the log and have a very proud tradition at Loftus – this isn’t Nelspruit,” said Minnie.
“Also, the players that have gone before the current crop of Blue Bulls, have set an example and this team have to live up to that expectation. They still have a number of Springboks in their team – we’ll have to be at our very best on Friday.
“What happened last year is history. They will be better than thus far in the season and we’ll have to make that step up.”
Minnie said it’s nice to have Pretorius back, but that he will be managed: “Sarel is a great player, but in his absence Marnus Hugo played exceptionally well. We’ll manage Sarel, because we don’t know how long his knee will last. That’s why we decided to start with him. If he feels it’s time to come off, whether it’s after 15, 25 or 45 minutes, we’ll put Marnus on.”
Last year in Absa Currie Cup: 20 August – Vodacom Blue Bulls won 39-38 in Pretoria and on 1 October – Vodacom Blue Bulls won 48-36 in Kimberley
This weekend’s rugby fixtures:
- 19 August – Vodacom Blue Bulls vs GWK Griquas, kick-off at 17:00 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria. Referee: Sindile Mayende
- 19 August – DHL Western Province vs MTN Golden Lions, kick-off at 19:00 at DHL Newlands, Cape Town. Referee: Marius Jonker
- 19 August – The Sharks vs Platinum Leopards, kick-off at 19:10 at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban. Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
- 19 August – Regent Boland Cavaliers vs SWD Eagles, kick-off at 16:00 at Boland Stadium, Wellington. Referee: Jaco Peyper
- 19 August – Valke vs Border Bulldogs, kick-off at 17:00 at Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park. Referee: Stuart Berry
- 20 August – Toyota Free State Cheetahs vs Ford Pumas, kick-off at 15:00 at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein. Referee: Pro Legoete
- 20 August – South Africa vs New Zealand, kick-off at 17:05 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth.
