The Melbourne Rebels travel to Loftus to take on the Champion Bulls. Good luck to them, they'll need it.

Coming off the back of a victory last week the Bulls and their Captain Fourie Du Preez (Victor Matfield is being given a rest by being named on the bench after struggling with a minor neck strain) will be confident that they can go back to back this week with a victory over the new boys to the Super Rugby competition this year the Melbourne Rebels.

The Bulls are currently lying in 3^rd spot in the South African conference and are 12 points behind both the Sharks (Bye) and the Stormers, the latter of which have a game today to try and extend their lead at the top of the conference.

With the Rebels the lowest placed team in the competition barring the seemingly hopeless Lions the Bulls will be confident of a victory over the boys from the South East of Australia.

Matfield will be replaced by in the second row by Danie Rossouw, who moves from flank to partner Bakkies Botha at lock with the excellent Flip van der Merwe on the bench if a fresh pair of legs is needed.

The loose forward trio will be the familiar combination of Deon Stegmann and Pierre Spies alongside the returning Dewald Potgieter.

Stegmann and fullback Zane Kirchner will play in their 50th Super Rugby matches for the Bulls and will be hoping to put the icing on the cake in their celebrations.

The other changes to the side that beat the Chiefs last week see Bjorn Basson on the wing in place of Akona Ndungane and Gerhard van den Heever in place of Francois Hougaard, who drops to the bench.

Personally I think the Rebels are going to receive a very rude welcome to Fortress Loftus and for the Bulls this encounter couldn’t come at a better time. If the Bulls can start stringing wins together they can perhaps start to apply pressure to the teams above them in the chase for a Semi Final birth.

Bulls team

Zane Kirchner , Gerhard van den Heever , Stephan Dippenaar , Wynand Olivier , Bjorn Basson (18), Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez (c), Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter , Deon Stegmann, Danie Rossouw , Bakkies Botha , Werner Kruger, Gary Botha, Dean Greyling.

Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle , Rossouw de Klerk, Flip van der Merwe , Victor Matfield , Derick Kuün, Francois Hougaard , Francois Brummer .

Round Thirteen - Vodacom Bulls

Vodacom Bulls v Rebels

Saturday 14 May 2011

Kickoff: 17h05

Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Well, rebellion has an never ending issue here. Got to go! I do really have more jobs at custom essay writing services.