Bulls look to stretch unbeaten run

The front-running Northern Bulls, buoyed by a successful start to their pivotal five-match Australasian leg, have New Zealand's Otago Highlanders in their sights in this weekend's Super 14 round.

The unbeaten Bulls, who defeated the Wellington Hurricanes 19-14 to launch their demanding tour last week, hold a one-point advantage over fellow South Africans the Coastal Sharks after six rounds of the southern hemisphere series.

The Highlanders will be hosting the Bulls, champions two years ago, not at their Dunedin home ground but at Palmerston North stadium on Saturday, hoping to attract a bigger crowd. They have not beat the Bulls since 2005.

Bulls captain Victor Matfield has not fully recovered from a shoulder injury and will miss the game, allowing Danie Rossouw to start at lock again amid three changes to the side which beat the Hurricanes.

Dewald Potgieter comes in for suspended flank Deon Stegmann, Jaco Pretorius replaces JP Nel at centre and Rayno Gerber will prop at tighthead in place of Werner Kruger.

"We are looking forward to the rest of the tour now. We are very positive and we can't wait for Saturday," Bulls manager Wynie Strydom said.

"It's always nice to start a tour with a win."

The Sharks are back home after two wins from their four-match Australasian tour, to tackle Australia's ACT Brumbies in Durban on Saturday.

The Sharks will start favourites against the two-time Super rugby champions, boasting a formidable home record of 19 wins from 22 games since 2006 - and seven in a row since the 2007 final against the Bulls.

But the Brumbies will have memories of their against-the-odds 21-10 win two years ago in Durban, when the Canberra team beat a Sharks outfit that had won its previous nine in a row at home.

"The boys are definitely looking forward to playing at home," Sharks coach John Plumtree said.

"Already the energy levels are up, which helps because we've had a physical few games and a long trip home as well."

MELBOURNE, March 26,

2009 (AFP)