Bulls opt for experience
The Bulls have made three changes to their starting XV to face the Brumbies with experienced players Flip van der Merwe, Werner Kruger and Jacques-Louis Potgieter coming in.
Captain Van der Merwe, who missed three matches due to suspension, replaces Paul Willemse in the No.4 jumper while Kruger rotates as tighthead prop with Marcel van der Merwe and Potgieter swops the bench and the No.10 jersey with Pollard in the only change at the back.
Wimpie van der Walt makes way for Willemse on the bench and Ulrich Beyers also comes onto the bench in place of William Small-Smith, who is ill.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke welcomed Van der Merwe back into the fold.
"Flip's leadership is very important to the team and as a senior player he does set an excellent example. We will need to be at our best in facing a Brumbies side that has played some great rugby this year. We have made slight changes for the match and rotated certain players and I believe we will be competitive come Friday."
Van der Merwe said that he is keen to get back into action as the Bulls look to sneak into the play-offs.
"We are well rested following a bye last week and we trained well this week. It is important to start the match with a lot of energy and I believe everyone will do so. We don't look ahead in the competition, but know how important a win will be with regards to a possible play-off spot," Van der Merwe said.
Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Grant Hattingh, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Jono Ross, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Flip van der Merwe (captain), 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 17 Morne Mellett, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Paul Willemse, 20 Jacques Engelbrecht, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Handrè Pollard, 23 Ulrich Beyers.
Date: Friday, May 23
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT; 03.10, Saturday, May 24 AEST)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
