Joost ready for

Marshall showdown

CHRISTCHURCH -- Springbok halfback Joost van der Westhuizen expects to have many more rugby showdowns with his injured All Blacks opposite, Justin Marshall.

Van der Westhuizen, who has spent four months recovering from a groin injury, will start on the reserves' bench for the Northern Bulls in Sunday's Super 12 match here against the Canterbury Crusaders, who have lost Marshall for the season with a snapped achilles tendon.

Northern Bulls coach Eugene Van Wyk plans to use Van der Westhuizen off the bench again after the South African scrumhalf played the final 30 minutes in the Bulls' 24-7 win against the Brumbies last weekend.

Van der Westhuizen said yesterday he had not expected to start after his replacement, Dan Van Zyl, performed well against the Brumbies. "The team won and it's not wise to change a winning team."

Nor was Van der Westhuizen overly disappointed at missing a chance to match his skills against Marshall. "He's a good player. He will be back and so will I. We are both young players and we have a few years left. We are going to get a chance to play each other again."

Van der Westhuizen raised eyebrows in New Zealand last year when he was quoted as rating Australian George Gregan and Welshman Rob Howley ahead of him as the world's best scrumhalves. Marshall was not mentioned. But he would not be drawn on the issue yesterday, saying it was "unprofessional" to compare individual players.

Van der Westhuizen suffered his groin injury on South Africa's triumphant tour of Europe last November and his second-half appearance against the Brumbies was his first outing since then.

But he said he was not rushing back too early. "A groin injury can keep you on your toes for the rest of your career. I just have to prove that I am fit to play."

Van der Westhuizen is "definitely keen" to be fit to play behind the South African pack in this season's tri-series against New Zealand and Australia.

"But first I need to get back into this team."

The Northern Bulls, captained by former Springbok eighthman Adriaan Richter, have made only one change to the starting line-up who beat the Brumbies.

Grant Esterhuizen will replace the injured Jan Ackerman on the right wing.

Springbok lock Krynauw Otto, who broke his hand in February, trained with the Bulls in a gruelling two-hour session here yesterday, but is still not available to join brother Johan in the second row.

Prop Johan le Roux, banned for 19 months in 1994 after biting Sean Fitzpatrick's ear in a Test at Wellington, will pack down in the Bulls' front row.

* Regular Hurricanes flyhalf Stephen Bachop and eighthman Karl Williams are two casualties for tomorrow night's Super 12 match against the Golden Cats in New Plymouth.

Bachop has been replaced by David Holwell, who gets his first Super 12 start, while Williams is the victim of a reshuffle in the loose forwards.

Filo Tiatia switches from the blindside flank to number eight with Dean Anglesey promoted from the reserves' bench to the flank.

In a forced change because of injury, Orcades Crawford takes over from injured captain Mark Allen at loosehead prop.

It's a move that has left Bachop and Williams out in the cold -- neither has been named on the bench for the match.

Holwell, who set a second division points-scoring record last season with a total of 204 and a Northland record of 326 altogether, has been called in as a specialist goalkicker.

Part-time kicker Christian Cullen wasn't a success in last Sunday's 23-39 defeat by the Coastal Sharks, missing two attempts close to the posts.

"If you miss them from in front, you have to address the problem," Hurricanes coach Frank Oliver said.

"Cullen wasn't comfortable the other day. We missed kicks we should have got. You have to kick the goals."

Oliver said he rated Holwell highly. "He was the top points scorer in second division last season. He's been around a while, he's a former New Zealand Colt and he's a good footballer."

The Golden Cats had their final practice yesterday morning with Gauteng Lions centre Joe Esterhuizen, who arrived in New Plymouth on Tuesday night, rushed into action immediately.

Esterhuizen, who flew in with replacement prop Douggie Heymans, replaces an injured Hennie Le Roux.

Heymans has been named in the reserves in place of an injured Os du Randt, who headed home on Monday.

TEAMS

Northern Bulls: Marius Goosen, Grant Esterhuizen, Andre Synman, Franco Smith, Casper Steyn, Braam van Straaten, Dan van Zyl, Adriaan Richter (capt), Schutte Bekker, Nicky van der Walt, Elandre van der Bergh, Johan Otto, Johan le Roux, Dale Santon, Pierre Ribbens. Reserves: Danie van Schalkwyk, Conrad Breytenbach, Joost van der Westhuizen; Derick Grobbelaar, Piet Boer, Henry Kemp, Jannie Brooks.

Hurricanes: Christian Cullen, Doug Howlett, Alama Ieremia, Tana Umaga, Jason O'Halloran, David Holwell, Richard Jarman, Filo Tiatia, Martin Leslie, Glenn Taylor, Kevin Barrett, Dean Anglesey, Gordon Slater, Norm Hewitt (capt), Orcades Crawford. Reserves: Danny Lee, George Leaupepe, Jarrod Cunningham, Dion Waller, Chresten Davis, Bill Cavubati, Tala Leisamaivao.