Cape Town – Jake White has called on the Blue Bulls to “play for 80 minutes” in Saturday’s Currie Cup clash against the Pumas in Mbombela (3.30pm kickoff).
The Bulls boss gave the match-23 a vote of confidence by sticking with the same players that pulled off a 33-32 victory over the Lions at Ellis Park last week.
The Pretoria side were 26-10 up in the first half, but allowed the Johannesburg side back into the game, and it was eventually a one-point difference in the end.
That was a bit too close for comfort, but the Bulls managed to remain in the race for the semi-finals, although they need to win their last three league encounters as well to be in the playoffs.
The Bulls are currently in sixth position on 27 points, four behind fourth-placed Western Province.
“I don’t think it’s (selecting the same team) a vote of confidence. There are not many times that you get the opportunity to pick the same side, because there are always injuries or something that happens,” White said on Friday.
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“So, the ability to put the same team on the field gives us continuity. We can’t really change many things now. We’ve got three games left, and then hopefully into the playoffs.
“We just need to play for 80 minutes. Last week, we played so well in the first 20 minutes and we were leading comfortably, and then we let them back into the game with one or two stupid errors.
“So, I think it needs 80 minutes. They are Currie Cup champions and are a difficult team to beat away, and they beat us comfortably at Loftus in the opening round.
“So, there is a lot to play for this weekend.”
Blue Bulls Team
15 David Kriel 14 Sibongile Novuka 13 Stedman Gans 12 Harold Vorster 11 Marco Jansen van Vuren 10 Johan Goosen 9 Embrose Papier 8 Elrigh Louw 7 Nizaam Carr 6 Marcell Coetzee 5 Ruan Nortjé (captain) 4 Ruan Vermaak 3 Mornay Smith 2 Johan Grobbelaar 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels 17 Simphiwe Matanzima 18 Francois Klopper 19 Charlie Ewels 20 WJ Steenkamp 21 Keagan Johannes 22 Chris Smith 23 Cornal Hendricks.
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