Bulls make one change for Crusaders

Lock Danie Rossouw replaces Bakkies Botha in the only change to the Bulls' starting side to face the Crusaders in Saturday morning's (NZT) crucial Super 14 rugby match in Pretoria.

Rossouw, who will earn his 100th Super Rugby cap for the Bulls, is preferred to partner captain Victor Matfield in the second row for the competition leaders.

Springboks veteran Botha played his first game since November 2009 against the Sharks last Sunday, before being replaced at halftime.

Matfield paid tribute to Rossouw's milestone, describing him as an "exceptional team player."

"It's great partnering either Danie or Bakkies at lock and I'm sure that if there wasn't Bakkies, then Danie would have 70 or 80 test matches already behind his name," Matfield said.

"Many of his games may have been off the bench, but I don't think people realise how valuable he is to both the Bulls and the Boks.

Bulls coach Frans Ludeke expected the desperate Crusaders to launch an assault on them at ruck time, a tactic that backfired when the fourth-placed New Zealanders lost to the Stormers at Newlands on Friday, having failed to adapt to referee Stuart Dickinson's rulings.

"It's been a tactic of theirs throughout the tournament and with players like Richie McCaw they're pretty equipped to torture you at the breakdown if you allow them to," Ludeke told South African journalists.

"They've got the players that allow them to vary their approach between playing a tight, expansive or kicking game, or indeed a blend of all three,"

"I can't say for certain how they will approach this game, but we are prepared for every eventuality.

"That said, it's important that we focus on what we can control. There's a belief in this side, and it's not an arrogant one, that if we play to our potential we will win."

Meanwhile, Bulls first five-eighth Morne Steyn needs just six points to equal Crusader opposite Dan Carter's record of the fastest 200 points in Super rugby history, in just 12 games.

Bulls
Zane Kirchner, Gerhard van den Heever, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Wynand Olivier, Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Victor Matfield (captain), Danie Rossouw, Werner Kruger, Gary Botha, Gurthro Steenkamp.

Reserves: Bandise Maku, Bees Roux, Bakkies Botha, Derick Kun, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Stephan Dippenaar, Pedrie Wannenburg.

- NZPA