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Bulls tweak side to end losing streak

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls team to face the Lions in Round Six of the Currie Cup shows four new inclusions, two positional switches, and one player making way.

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Up front, Simphiwe Matanzima replaces Ruan Swart at loosehead prop, while Bryan le Roux comes in for Jean Erasmus at tighthead.

In the backline, there’s a reshuffle too: Jaco van der Walt slots in at flyhalf, with Boeta Chamberlain moving from 10 to fullback.

Chris Barend Smit earns a start at inside centre, with Cornel Smit shifting one channel out to 13.

Stravino Jacobs, meanwhile, drops out of the starting line-up on account of injury.

While the Bulls hold a historical 4-1 lead over their Gauteng rivals, the recent momentum favours the Lions who secured a decisive 57-33 victory in their last meeting a year ago.

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The Lions have won three of their last five matches, compared to the Bulls’ two wins in the same period.

Bulls: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Cornel Smit, 12 Chris Barend Smit, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Zak Burger, 8 JJ Theron, 7 Junior Pokomela, 6 Nama Xaba (captain), 5 Dylan de Leeuw, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Bryan le Roux, 2 Esethu Mnebelele, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima
Replacements: 16. Shaun Schurmann, 17. Ruan Swart, 18. Cohen Kievit, 19. Abri van der Westhuizen, 20 Marco Ferreira, 21 Brooklyn Newman, 22 PA van Niekerk, 23 Katlego Letebele

Date: Saturday, August 30
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Sean Muller
Assistant referees: Phumzile Mbewu, Caleb Hibbert
TMO: Egon Seconds

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