Serfontein boost for Bulls
Serfontein earns a first start in the competition and teams up with Dries Swanepoel in the midfield, re-uniting their schoolboy centre partnership at Grey College.
Burger Odendaal subsequently moves to the bench.
Another Bok, Prop Dean Greyling is also fit again following a knee strain and he slots back into the starting line-up, replacing Pierre Schoeman, who swings back into Under-21 action.
It will be Greyling’s 50th appearance for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup competition.
Another player returning is Werner Kruger, who will play off the bench and replaces Dayan van der Westhuizen, with the young prop also moving back to the Blue Bulls Under-21.
In the third change to the squad that fronted up against Free-State Cheetahs last weekend, Springbok flank Deon Stegmann returns from a cheekbone injury in place of Jannes Kirsten.
"We have a massive challenge this weekend. The Lions have played great rugby for a while now and are not top of the log for nothing," Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais said
"We are building nicely as the season progresses and we are starting to find our feet and each other, but we are far from the finished product. It will mean that we will have to be at our very best to stay in this one."
Blue Bulls captain Pieter Labuschagne said the team are excited for the top of the table clash.
"We have the intensity of a derby match, but also the knowledge that we are playing the team on form in the competition. These type of matches are the ones that test character and we will have to show we have what it takes."
Blue Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Pieter Labuschagne (captain), 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Rudolph Snyman, 19 Deon Stegmann, 20 Ivan van Zyl, 21 Louis Fouche, 22 Burger Odendaal.
Date: Saturday, September 12
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant referees: Jaco Pretorius, Jaco Kotze
TMO: Johan Greeff
