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Bulls celebrate winning the 2009 Super 14 title - Source: Getty -
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The Bulls are poised to rest a host of their Springboks stars for Sunday's crucial Super 14 match against the Stormers.
Bulls Captain Victor Matfield confirmed on his Twitter account that the competition leaders and 2009 champions will rest some players for their clash at Newlands.
There has been talk that Springbok first five-eight Morne Steyn, lock Matfield, centre Wynand Olivier, Zane Kirchner and halfback Fourie du Preez would be rested, but Matfield did not mention any names.
Matfield first asked on Twitter, "Are we going to rest or not????"
Then hours later Matfield wrote,"Ons het besluit om paar ouens te rus maar nog steeds n goeie span." (We have decided to rest a few players but still a good team.)
The Bulls are expected to name their team on Thursday (NZT) and are already assured of hosting a Super 14 semi-final and the final - if they're good enough.
A Stormers win would result in both semi-finals being held in the Republic.
It could mean both of New Zealand's semi-final hopefuls, the Hurricanes and Crusaders, face daunting trips to South Africa next week.
Playoff matches in the Republic have historically been nigh on impossible for New Zealand teams.
While the Crusaders will take heart from their pulsating 35-40 defeat to the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday, they were defeated by them in both 2007 and 2009 in semi-final fixtures.
Other playoff fixtures in South Africa involving New Zealand sides have resulted in an 18-34 defeat for the Blues in a 2007 semi-final hosted by the Sharks and last year's one-sided final, a 63-17 hiding of the Chiefs in Pretoria.
