JEREMY PROOME looks ahead to the flyhalf battle between rising stars Handré Pollard and Marnitz Boshoff.
HANDRÉ POLLARD
Following Louis Fouché’s underwhelming performance against the Cheetahs, Jacques-Louis Potgieter will start at flyhalf for the Bulls against the Lions, but Pollard could make a big impact off the bench. Potgieter will likely be eased back into the style and demands of Super Rugby and should come off early in the second half, which will give Pollard a chance to flex his playmaking muscles. Pollard hasn’t had the opportunity to showcase his abilities that he flaunted in the 2012 Junior World Championship, and Saturday could be the chance for him to stake his claim on the Bulls No 10 jersey and really test his vision and enthusiasm at Super Rugby level.
MARNITZ BOSHOFF
The Lions travel to Pretoria to take on a wounded Bulls outfit that has suffered two consecutive defeats at the hands of the Cheetahs and Sharks, and if they’re to endure a third, Boshoff is the man who can deliver it. Boshoff was the standout performer in round two, slotting six penalties, three drop goals and a conversion for a 29-point haul against the Stormers. His defensive efforts can also be commended as he put in some brave tackles, even stopping a rampaging Duane Vermeulen from a 5m scrum and preventing a try. Boshoff has a well-rounded game, and if he can improve his ball-in-hand attacking (after only accumulating 2m against the Stormers) he should have the upper-hand at Loftus.
What happened when Bulls hosted Lions in 2012
Photos: Gavin Barker / Gerhard Durand / BackpagePix
