Bok returns for Bulls' must-win match against Pau
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has pressed the reset button ahead of Friday night’s Champions Cup match against Pau.
In all, there are 11 changes from last weekend’s team: seven in the starting forwards, four in the backline, plus multiple bench rotations.
Captain Ruan Nortje gets a rest among the replacements with Marcell Coetzee back in harness as captain.
Two of the most exciting changes feature the return of Springbok Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheswill Jooste, both on the wings. This means a shift for speedster Sebastian de Klerk, who slots in at outside centre.
In-form Mpilo Gumede gets a welcome start while promising lock Reinhardt Ludwig is also back in favour.
The bench offers a good blend of grunt and guile with the like of Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese and Jeandre Rudolph to call on.
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Sebastian de Klerk, 12 Harold Voster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Zak Burger, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Mpilo Gumede, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Reinhardt Ludwig, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Alu Tshakweni, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Cobus Wiese, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 David Kriel, 23 Jeandre Rudolph
Date: Friday, January 16
Venue: Stade du Hameau, Pau
Kick-off: 21.00 (20.00 GMT; 22.00 SA Time)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Craig Evans (Wales) & George Selwood (England)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)