Paige, Brummer are Bulls’ new halfback pairing

THE BULLS are living through their worst nightmare but coach Nollis Marais is hopeful that their dreams of becoming a force again in Super Rugby will become a reality soon.

It may not seem like it now after winning only three of their 10 matches so far this season, but the under-fire Marais spoke from the heart about the future of his team.

Behind them lies a trail of destruction inflicted by opposition teams including an embarrassing defeat to the Sunwolves and another record defeat at the hands of the Crusaders at Loftus Versfeld.

Ahead of the Bulls on Saturday the high-flying Lions lie in wait.

But Marais is optimistic that things will turn for his side and this will begin with the way they play against a Lions team that is far superior to them.

Marais believes the turnaround can still happen with him at the helm and with the very same crop of young players that he will go to war with at Ellis Park tomorrow.

“There’s a lot of things... being said about me being fired and the players not playing well. You have to take into consideration when you live out your dream... there is going to be criticism and people are going to be unhappy about certain things and they (players) must get used to it.

“(The Bulls) are good rugby players and they had a dream like I did, and I still have. A dream is not always easy, it’s how you stand up when you are being put down...”

There were shades of that best rugby Marais talks about in their 17-10 defeat against the Highlanders last week and while there have been some changes for the Lions, the desperation and need to change still burns ferociously.

Marais has handed a Super Rugby debut to Varsity Cup winning wing Sibahle Manxwane who replaces the injured Jamba Ulengo while Jesse Kriel moves to fullback and Jan Serfontein has returned to the starting line-up at outside centre.

Francois Brummer and scrumhalf Rudy Paige will form a new halfback pairing and Springbok lock Lood de Jager takes over the reins at in the second row from RG Snyman who will be out for four weeks after receiving a red card in the match against the Highlanders.