Bulls spring surprise at fullback
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls made key changes to their starting line-up, including a surprise selection at fullback.
Injuries forced Bulls coach Phiwe Nomlomo’s hand, but he continues to juggle mercury in his bid to blend youth and experience.
With injuries to the in-form Jeandre Rudolph, Chris Smit and prop Dylan Smith, Nomlomo’s squad for this weekend’s Currie Cup fixture against Boland looks very different to what came before.
Five of the pack, including the entire front row, are in their 20s, but the return of captain Nama Xaba from injury, plus the wiles of lock pair Sintu Manjezi and Marvin Orie, adds steel the pack will require away from home.
In total, there are 12 under-21s in the squad, seven of them starting this weekend.
“Every game is a massive test from now,” said Nomlomo, conceding how last week’s defeat to the Pumas had put them on the backfoot.
Nomlomo said the Bulls would be ready for the conditions and atmosphere in Wellington.
“The weather will do what it does; if it’s windy or wet, we have to adjust.
“We’ve got players who grew up in Boland and know what the environment is like when the crowd gets going.
“They’ve even got a band and horses there now – it’s busy – so we need to be ready for everything.”
In other significant selections, 20-year-old JJ Theron comes in at No.8 while Boeta Chamberlain returns to flyhalf and Stravino Jacobs slots in at fullback.
Demitre Erasmus, another member of the SA u20s, starts at outside centre with Aphiwe Dyantyi, a late withdrawal last weekend, back in harness on the left wing.
Bulls: 15 Stravino Jacobs, 14 Katlego Letebele, 13 Demitre Erasmus, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Zak Burger, 8 JJ Theron, 7 Sintu Manjezi, 6 Nama Xaba (Captain), 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jaco Grobbelaar, 3 Jean Erasmus, 2 Juann Else, 1 Ruan Swart.
Replacements: 16 Esethu Mnebelele, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Bryan le Roux, 19 Marco Ferreira, 20 Junior Pokomela, 21 Brooklyn Newman, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Cheswill Jooste.
Date: Sunday, August 17
Venue: Boland Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Robbie Jenkinson
Assistant referees: Dylen November, Juan de Bod
TMO: Egon Seconds
