KEY POINTS:
The Blues and Bulls have both embraced players off the injured list but it has been a far more dramatic move for the defending Super 14 champions.
While the Blues reclaimed five-eighths Nick Evans from concussion and moved him from the sideline on to Eden Park, the Bulls
have flown No 8 Pierre Spies halfway around the globe to play his first serious game of rugby in almost 10 months.
Circumstance does some strange things and it looks a case of desperate times creating desperate measures for the Bulls who are wallowing in 11th place in the defence of their crown.
Coach Frans Ludeke is under massive pressure after switching to the champion Bulls this season but continuing an abysmal Super coaching career which now shows he has won just five out of 31 matches. By adding Spies to his team, Ludeke has gained a numerical margin, with his side including 11 Springboks while the Blues have 10 players who have worn the All Black test strip.
While Evans missed only one match after collecting a stray elbow from teammate Nick Williams, Spies has not played since last June when he was diagnosed with a blood disorder which took him out of the World Cup and the sport until now.
He has trained with the Bulls but was left at home to continue that recuperation until they suffered twin offshore defeats. After the latest, against the Chiefs, the help call went out to Spies. His return will be a boost - but not as much as the Blues will appreciate Evans' recovery.
He was named last week but was a late absentee, something coach David Nucifora promised would not recur unless the five-eighths had another accidental collision with Williams.
"It is very important to us. We did the best we could with circumstances last week and Ice [Toeava] did a reasonable job but obviously our backline is a lot stronger with Nick at 10 and Ice back out there at 13 and hopefully that is reflected in our performance," the coach said.
"We suffered from directional issues around the field [against the Stormers] in phase attack and that happens when you don't have a regular number 10 there."
The Blues have brought Tony Woodcock, Justin Collins, Evans and Joe Rokocoko back into the team with Jerome Kaino shifting to the back of the scrum to allow Collins to fit into a very pacy loose forward formation.
Nucifora said No 8 Williams was better suited to come off the bench, while wing Anthony Tuitavake needed a rest from his heavy workload and would be back in action next week.
The coach was relieved to pick Kurtis Haiu after the lock escaped a citing for punching during the last game against the Stormers.
"You never know with things like that. We had a little chat after the game and he knows that was a silly thing to do regardless of what prompted it. We don't need players subjecting themselves to that risk so he will be far more disciplined from now on," Nucifora said.
Openside flanker Daniel Braid also got through the entire match last week after plans to drag him after 60 minutes went awry. Braid was extremely sore after his first game this season but had recovered fully and was extremely confident about his repaired shoulder.
"He will be pretty busy for the rest of the year," was Nucifora's assessment.
The Bulls had a massive back five in their scrum, and reclaimed Bryan Habana, Spies and Zane Kirchner to give them their strongest combination of the year.
"We are expecting a much improved showing from them this week," Nucifora said.
Eden Park, 7.35pm Saturday
BLUES
George Pisi
Joe Rokocoko
Isaia Toeava
Benson Stanley
Rudi Wulf
Nick Evans
Danny Lee
Jerome Kaino
Daniel Braid
Justin Collins
Troy Flavell (c)
Kurtis Haiu
John Afoa
Keven Mealamu
Tony Woodcock
BULLS
Zane Kirchner
Akona Ndungane
JP Nel
Wynand Olivier
Bryan Habana
Derick Hougaard
Fourie du Preez
Pierre Spies
Wickus van Heerden
Pedrie Wannenburg
Danie Rossouw
Bakkies Botha
Rayno Gerber
Derick Kuun
Gurthro Steenkamp
Blues: Nick White, Bronson Murray, Anthony Boric, Nick Williams, Taniela Moa, Ben Atiga, David Smith.
Bulls: Bandise Maku, Werner Kruger, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Deon Stegmann, Heini Adams, Morne Steyn, Dewald Potgieter