Preview: Bulls vs Rebels

This week the Melbourne Rebels travel to the Republic of South Africa to take on the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria. Can the Rebels finally break through for their first win on South African soil or will the Bulls continue their recent form and extend the Melbourne side’s misery?

FORM

The Bulls have won three and lost four matches in 2018. After losing four games in a row their recent form has been good, earning convincing wins against both the Sharks and Stormers either side of their second bye. With 14 points after seven games the Bulls sit in second place in the African Conference and eighth overall.

Last week the Melbourne Rebels blew a halftime lead against the Jaguares; their third loss in their last four games. Currently the Rebels are second in the Australian Conference and in sixth place overall with 21 points from seven matches.

Head-to-head, the Bulls have won four of the five clashes between the two sides scoring 40 or more points in each of their wins. The Rebels did manage to beat the Pretorians in a cliff-hanger at AAMI Park in 2015, 21-20.

Statistically there is very little separating the two sides and they play a similar style of game. Even their respective coaches, John Mitchell and Dave Wessells, have Western Force coach on their resumes. In their last three home games against Australian teams the Bulls have scored an imposing 17 trys.

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VODACOM BULLS

The Bulls go into this game with a largely unchanged side from the team that thrashed the Sharks last start. Openside flanker, Roelof Smit will replace the injured Hanro Liebenberg in the back row while Marco van Staden switches from flanker to the back of the scrum. Shaun Adendorff will take up a seat on the bench.

The Bulls have scored more than half of their trys this season from first-phase play. No doubt they will look to use their superior lineout as a platform to create attacking opportunities in the Rebels half of the ground and continue this trend. Considering the experienced players in their tight five the Bulls scrum has not performed particularly well this year with a success rate of only 85%.

During the week coach, John Mitchell said, “We are gaining some momentum and are improving all the time. We are not the finished product yet though and hard work and commitment remains important for us.”
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Melbourne Rebels

Dave Wessels has made four changes to last week’s starting side. In the Forwards, Matt Philip replaces Geoff Parling in the second row and Angus Cottrell will start in the seven jersey with Richard Hardwick benched. Reece Hodge returns from injury at inside centre to resume his successful mid-field partnership with Tom English. Michael Ruru earns his first Rebels start replacing the injured Will Genia and Harrison Goddard comes on to the bench. Also on the bench, Fereti Sa’aga replaces Ben Daley.

The Rebels have once again selected a very big backrow. This strategy has its benefits but they will rely heavily on Amanaki Mafi to do the bulk of the ball carrying. With no other running threats among the forwards the Rebels have become quite predictable and opposing teams have found ways to limit Mafi’s effectiveness.

The Rebels have lacked direction and leadership when Will Genia has been off the field. Not only will Micheal Ruru need to step up this week, but the whole leadership group will need to have their act together to cover the loss of Genia.

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TEAMS

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VODACOM BULLS

1. Pierre Schoeman
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. Trevor Nyakane
4. RG Snyman
5. Lood de Jager
6. Roelof Smit
7. Thembelani Bholi
8. Marco van Staden
9. Ivan van Zyl
10. Handre Pollard
11. Divan Rossouw
12. Burger Odendaal (C)
13. Jesse Kriel
14. Johnny Kotze
15. Warrick Gelant

     

    Reserves

16. Jaco Visagie
17. Lizo Gqoboka
18. Frans van Wyk
19. Jason Jenkins
20. Shaun Adendorff
21. Andre Warner
22. Manie Libbok
23. Duncan Matthews

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Melbourne Rebels

1. Tetera Faulkner
2. Anaru Rangi
3. Sam Talakai
4. Matt Philip
5. Adam Coleman (C)
6. Ross Haylett-Petty
7. Angus Cottrell
8. Amanaki Mafi
9. Michael Ruru
10. Jack Debreczeni
11. Marika Koroibete
12. Reece Hodge
13. Tom English
14. Jack Maddocks
15. Dane Haylett-Petty

     

    Reserves

16. Jordan Uelese
17. Fereti Sa’aga
18. Jermaine Ainsley
19. Geoff Parling
20. Richard Hardwick
21. Harrison Goddard
22. Billy Meakes
23. Sefa Naivalu

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KEY MATCH UPS

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Warrick Gelant vs Dane Haylett-Petty
Gelant had a day out with a hat trick of trys against the Sharks. His pinpoint kicking skills and evasive running make him a real threat. Haylett-Petty has been superb under the high ball and regularly on the Rebels score sheet. This will be an entertaining match up.
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Jesse Kriel vs Tom English
Kriel has played every minute of every game this season, his mid-field defence has been top notch and he is one of the Bulls most reliable ball carriers. English had a quiet game last week and needs to find his early season form.
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Marco van Staden vs Amanaki Mafi
van Staden has a big job ahead of him. Containing Mafi is not an easy thing to do and he will need plenty of help from his flankers. Mafi leads the competition in carries and is second only to the Chief’s Solomona Alaimalo in run metres.
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PREDICTION

It’s going to be tough for the Rebels. This game will be played at altitude in front of a hostile home crowd and the Bulls are in form. The loss of Will Genia leaves a huge void for the Rebels to fill. And of course the Rebels have a diabolical record in South Africa with one draw and twelve losses to show for their efforts. Virtually everyone is tipping a comfortable win to the Bulls.

Nevertheless, just as all winning streaks eventually come to an end so to must losing streaks. I’m predicting a close game with the Rebels getting up by four points.

MATCH DETAILS