The Vodacom Bulls will welcome the Emirates Lions to Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday (2pm kick-off) looking to consolidate their log position and a season double over the Jukskei rivals. However, the latter will be less important for the team than the former.
The team this week sees Springbok forward Gerhard Steenekamp coming into the starting fold at the front row, where he will be alongside Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw. Behind them, Cobus Wiese returns to full match fitness and slots in at lock alongside fellow Springbok alignment camp invitee JF van Heerden.
‘Eskom’, aka Marco van Staden and skipper Reinhardt Ludwig will do duty at loose forward with Celimpilo ka Gumede at No 8.
At the back, Embrose Papier and Willie le Roux have another bite at the halfback combination cherry with World Cup winning winger Canan Moodie moving to the left wing and Sebastian de Klerk coming into the fold on the right side of the park. The pair with fast twitching muscles will flank the central combination of David Kriel and Stedman Gans with Devon Williams’ long boot trusted at fullback once more.
Director of Rugby, Jake White has gone with a five-three split impact squad that features Jan-hendrik Wessels, Francois Klopper, Ruan Vermaak, Nizaam Carr, Sergeal Petersen and Zak Burger, who all started last week’s match. There are also new additions in Alulutho Tshakweni and Keagan Johannes who have been added for impetus later in the game.
Vodacom Bulls starting XV: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 David Kriel, 11 Canan Moodie; 10 Willie le Roux, 9 Embrose Papier; 8 Celimpilo Gumede, 7 Reinhardt Ludwig (capt), 6 Marco van Staden; 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese; 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Jan-hendrik Wessels, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Keagan Johannes, 23 Sergeal Petersen.
Emirates Lions starting XV: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Richard Kriel, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Edwill van der Merwe; 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Morne van den Berg; 8 Francke Horn (capt), 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jarod Cairns; 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen; 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, Juan Schoeman. Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Morgan Naude, 18 Conrad van Vuuren, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Sibabalo Qoma, 21 Renzo du Plessis, 22 Nico Steyn, 23 Manuel Rass.
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