Bok beef for Bulls in north-south derby
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have beefed up their pack for the big North-South derby, when they host the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
World Cup-winning prop Trevor Nyakane will anchor the scrum in the only change to the starting team.
There are few rivalries as intense as the North-South derby and the Bulls will be looking to make amends for their 0-13 loss against the same opponents earlier this year before the pandemic put paid to the regular Super Rugby season.
The starting team will look towards the abrasive yet dynamic style of play that Junior Springbok lock forward Ruan Nortje brings to the table.
Nortje has made 20 carries and 21 tackles thus far and finds himself one of only two players to do so after three rounds of Super Rugby Unlocked.
There is a further change amongst the finishers with Springbok loose forward Nizaam Carr replacing fellow Springbok Arno Botha.
Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren.
Date: Saturday, October 31
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT)
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron, Stuart Berry
TMO: Jaco Peyper
