Matfield handed Bulls start

Pretoria – Jacques-Louis Potgieter will earn a first Bulls start at flyhalf since May 2010 when the home side host the Lions in their first home match of the Super Rugby season at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The 29-year-old pivot is one of four changes made to the starting side that came up short against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein last weekend, with Grant Hattingh (No 8), Victor Matfield (No 5) and Frik Kirsten (tighthead) the others to earn a start on the weekend.

Matfield will start a game for the first time since coming out of retirement. Potgieter replaces Louis Fouché, who drops out of the match-day 23 altogether, Hattingh moves from lock to the back of the scrum in place of Jacques Engelbrecht and Kirsten replaces Werner Kruger, with the latter on the bench for this match.

Engelbrecht moves to the bench, while Matfield takes over from Hattingh at lock. His place on the bench will be taken by Paul Willemse, with Wiaan Liebenberg missing out.
The versatile Potgieter last played for the Bulls as a replacement centre in the final of the 2010 showpiece, when the home side beat the Stormers in Soweto for back-to-back Super Rugby titles.

Hattingh, who has played as a flank for the Bulls and the Lions in Super Rugby before, will start at no 8 for the first time.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke believes the change in personnel will invigorate his side, who lacked composure in finishing off chances thus far.

“It is still early in the competition, but we have to be honest with ourselves. We cannot afford a repeat of the first two weekends, where we were lethargic and inaccurate in our set plays.

“The Lions are high on confidence, so we need not only to start well, but play with belief and commitment.”
Ludeke backed his team selections.

“Jacques-Louis has 42 Super Rugby caps under his belt and need to show that for us, while we expect Victor to bring composure and calm to our set- piece.
“I am excited to see Grant at No 8, he is a true footballer and read the play very well.”

Flip van der Merwe, who took over the captaincy from Pierre Spies last week, will again lead the team into battle.
“We are way down on the standards we set for ourselves this season,” Van der Merwe said at the team announcement in Pretoria yesterday. – Sport24.