Vodacom Bulls (RSA) v Hurricanes (NZL)

Friday, 19 March 2010

Loftus Versfeld, Kirkness Street, Pretoria. Kick off: 19h10

Referee: Nathan Pearce (AUS)

Assistant referees: Steve Walsh (AUS), Stefan Breytenbach (RSA)

TMO: Shaun Veldsman (RSA)

Head to Head: Vodacom Bulls v Hurricanes

P:   2 W: 1 L: 1 PF:  70   PA:   84          (Northern Transvaal v Hurricanes)     1996-1997

Vodacom Bulls’ recent form at home: (W, W, W, W, W, W, W, W, W, W)

·         The hosts are undefeated at home in this season’s competition after securing wins over the Brumbies (50-32), Highlanders (50-35) and Waratahs (48-38).

·         The Vodacom Bulls were undefeated at Loftus Versfeld in 2009.

Hurricanes’ recent form on the road:  (L, L, W, L, W, L, W, L, W, W)

·         The Hurricanes have lost two of their three away games in the 2010 Vodacom Super 14. They secured a 34-20 win over the Blues in Auckland but conceded defeats to the Vodacom Cheetahs (28-12) and Vodacom Stormers (37-13) in South Africa.

Match/player stats:

·         The Hurricanes, in April 2008 were the last team to defeat (50-22) the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.

·         Vodacom Bulls captain Victor Matfield will earn his 100 Super Rugby cap on Saturday. He will become the sixth South African player after Ollie le Roux, AJ Venter, Albert van den Berg, John Smit and Pedrie Wannenburg to achieve this milestone.

·         Morne Steyn is currently the leading points’ scorer in the 2010 Vodacom Super 14 with 92.

·         Former SA Under-20 winger Gerhard van den Heever is the youngest player in the Vodacom Bulls squad. He turns 21 on April 23.

·         The Vodacom Bulls are the only undefeated team in this season’s competition. They have scored 199 points in only four games at an average of 49,75.

·         The defending champions have also scored 24 tries in four games at an average of six five-pointers per match.

·         Hurricanes winger David Smith is currently the joint leading try scorer in the Vodacom Super 14 with five tries. NSW Waratahs winger Drew Mitchell has also scored five tries.

·         Aaron Cruden (Hurricanes) was the 2009 IRB Junior Player of the Year. He made his Vodacom Super 14 debut this season.

Super Rugby history:

Hurricanes

P: 174  W: 90 L: 81 D: 3 PF: 4452 PA: 4365 TF: 516 TA: 488