Bulls boosted by du Preez in Super 14 ?nal

PRETORIA – Springboks Fourie du Preez and Bakkies Botha were recalled as Bulls starters on Wednesday for this weekend’s Super 14 rugby ?nal against the Sharks.

The pair made up the only change from the team that beat the Canterbury Crusaders 27-12 in the semi-?nals last weekend. Du Preez replaces Heini Adams at scrumhalf, and Botha, after two games on the bench, was ?t enough to swap places with Danie Rossouw and join captain Victor Mat?eld in the second row.A question mark remained over Du Preez’s ?tness.He hurt his shoulder during a man-of-thematch performance against the Auckland Blues more than two weeks ago, then aggravated it as a substitute in the 92-3 defeat of the Queensland Reds which lifted the Bulls to second after the round robin.Du Preez, South Africa’s 2006 player of the year, then failed to pass a late ?tness test for the semis, and though he was back in limited training, coach Heyneke Meyer was prepared to wait again until the last minute for one of his key players.”As we speak he is not ready, but I believe he will be ?ne and that is why I have named him to start,” Meyer said.Starting Botha for Rossouw was a strategic move, he said.”I have chosen Bakkies ahead of Danie not because the best man starts but because I believe Danie is probably the best impact player in world rugby,” Meyer said.”Danie will de?nitely come on in the last 20 minutes of the game when it has opened up.I choose the right players for the right games.”The Sharks are a very tough team and we will need to be at our best.They have a physical pack and a very good backline.It is going to be a special occasion for both teams and South Africa.”Sharks coach Dick Muir gave his team the day off on Wednesday before a private practice on Thursday, when he will name his side.Muir said winger JP Pietersen and utility back Adrian Jacobs were recovering well after their respective hip and face injuries against the Blues last Saturday.The Sharks will host South Africa’s ?rst Super 14 ?nal on Saturday in Durban, where King’s Park Stadium will be a 51 000- plus sellout.Bulls: Johan Roets, Akona Ndungane, JP Nel, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Derick Hougaard, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Wikus van Heerden, Pedrie Wannenburg, Victor Matfield (captain), Bakkies Botha, Rayno Gerber, Gary Botha, Gurthro Steenkamp.Replacements: Jaco Engels, Danie Thiart, Danie Rossouw, Derick Kuun, Heini Adams, Morne Steyn, Jaco van der Westhuyzen.Nampa-APDu Preez replaces Heini Adams at scrumhalf, and Botha, after two games on the bench, was ?t enough to swap places with Danie Rossouw and join captain Victor Mat?eld in the second row.A question mark remained over Du Preez’s ?tness.He hurt his shoulder during a man-of-thematch performance against the Auckland Blues more than two weeks ago, then aggravated it as a substitute in the 92-3 defeat of the Queensland Reds which lifted the Bulls to second after the round robin.Du Preez, South Africa’s 2006 player of the year, then failed to pass a late ?tness test for the semis, and though he was back in limited training, coach Heyneke Meyer was prepared to wait again until the last minute for one of his key players.”As we speak he is not ready, but I believe he will be ?ne and that is why I have named him to start,” Meyer said.Starting Botha for Rossouw was a strategic move, he said.”I have chosen Bakkies ahead of Danie not because the best man starts but because I believe Danie is probably the best impact player in world rugby,” Meyer said.”Danie will de?nitely come on in the last 20 minutes of the game when it has opened up.I choose the right players for the right games.”The Sharks are a very tough team and we will need to be at our best.They have a physical pack and a very good backline.It is going to be a special occasion for both teams and South Africa.”Sharks coach Dick Muir gave his team the day off on Wednesday before a private practice on Thursday, when he will name his side.Muir said winger JP Pietersen and utility back Adrian Jacobs were recovering well after their respective hip and face injuries against the Blues last Saturday.The Sharks will host South Africa’s ?rst Super 14 ?nal on Saturday in Durban, where King’s Park Stadium will be a 51 000- plus sellout.Bulls: Johan Roets, Akona Ndungane, JP Nel, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Derick Hougaard, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Wikus van Heerden, Pedrie Wannenburg, Victor Matfield (captain), Bakkies Botha, Rayno Gerber, Gary Botha, Gurthro Steenkamp.Replacements: Jaco Engels, Danie Thiart, Danie Rossouw, Derick Kuun, Heini Adams, Morne Steyn, Jaco van der Westhuyzen.Nampa-AP