Rugby: Blues can take heart from Bulls' past Eden Park failures

If the Blues are looking for any succour for their next Super 14 challenge from the Bulls, they should flip open the history books.

Those records are no indication of what will transpire at Eden Park on Saturday but they do show that the Bulls have never won in eight previous trips to the stadium. Some solace, a message to brighten hopes, a psychological button to push?

Whatever the rationale, the unbeaten Bulls will be more wary of their fate than they were last week when they began their offshore excursions against the Force in Perth.

Coach Frans Ludeke has picked an unchanged combination while warning his men about the danger they face from their hosts.

"Our defence will have to be good because they have players who can be lethal when they get the ball in space, as well as a good pack of forwards," he told SuperSport.

The Blues do not name their side until later today with Charlie Faumuina sure to be called into the front row to cover for the injury to test loosehead prop Tony Woodcock.

Other changes may be minimal when coach Pat Lam surveys the best moments out of the eventual abortive comeback last weekend against the Waratahs and his selection alternatives. He will consider whether to persevere with Serge Lilo on the openside or to use a heftier loose forward against the Bulls pack.

Lam will also question the output from Joe Rokocoko and ponder if there is room for a fit Luke McAlister in a midfield which has been efficient and dangerous. The answers are probably to retain his wing and his five-eighths and to give McAlister some time from the bench.

Much of the work this week will have been on tightening the forward platform, gluing the set pieces and settling on a game plan rather than making many selection alterations.

The Blues sit mid-table and some way adrift of the top four but a victory will squeeze that top quartet and boost the Blues' self-belief as they start a mini-run of three home games.

Bulls: Zane Kirchner, Gerhard van der Heever, Jaco Pretorius, Wynand Olivier, Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Victor Matfield (c), Danie Rossouw, Werner Kruger, Gary Botha, Gurthro Steenkamp. Reserves: Bandise Maku, Bees Roux, Flip van der Merwe, Derick Kuun/Jaco Engels, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Pedrie Wannenburg.