Bulls bench Pollard
Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has opted to play Springbok star Handré Pollard from the bench in their Currie Cup crunch match with Griquas on Saturday.
The 20-year-old flyhalf, who is struggling with a soft tissue foot injury, has not trained this week.
However, in order to qualify for the play-offs he has to feature in at least one regular season match – hence the decision to play him off the bench.
Pollard will be brought into the game when needed, Ludeke said.
"Handré will definitely play a role in the match," the coach said.
"He is playing with a lot of confidence coming off a fine performance for the Springboks against New Zealand and we will tap into that.
"We need to make sure we beat Griquas well and will be looking for a bonus point, but we will have to build the innings first and make sure we play clever rugby."
Ludeke recalled two other Boks and a Junior Springbok.
In a re-jigged backline Junior Bok William Small-Smith (for JJ Engelbrecht, who is unavailable as he is a contracted Bok), Bjorn Basson (for Sampie Mastriet) and Piet van Zyl (rotating with Rudy Paige) will start.
Marcel van der Merwe will wear the No.3 jersey in place of Werner Kruger in one of three changes from the pack that beat the Pumas last weekend.
Bongi Mbonambi is back again in the No.2 jumper, with Callie Visagie benched and Morné Mellett will start at loosehead prop in place of Dean Greyling.
Blue Bulls: 15 Ulrich Beyers, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 William Small-Smith, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Jono Ross, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann (captain), 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Morné Mellett.
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 19 Wiaan Liebenberg, 20 Rudy Paige, 21 Handré Pollard, 22 Jesse Kriel.
Date: Saturday, October 11
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Lesego Legoete
Assistant referees: Quinton Immelman, Sieg van Staden
TMO: Willie Vos
