RECAP: Bulls v Griquas
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our coverage of the Super Rugby Unlocked Round One encounter between the Bulls and Griquas in Pretoria.
The Bulls have won their opening game of a Super Rugby season in only two of their last seven campaigns, after having won their first game of the year in the competition every season from 2008 to 2013.
The Bulls have won their last five Super Rugby games when hosting fellow South African opponents: their longest winning streak against their countrymen since a 10-game stretch from 2012 to 2014.
The Griquas are set to become the ninth South African team to contest a Super Rugby game; 12 of the 18 teams to have faced the Bulls in the competition have lost to the Pretoria side in their first-ever encounter.
* To read our pre-match predictions, CLICK HERE!
* Our live blog will appear below, it might take a little while to load, please be patient. We apologise for the inconvenience!
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Teams
Bulls: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 David Kriel, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Tim Agaba, 7 Arno Botha (captain), 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren.
Griquas: 15 Anthony Volmink, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Harlon Klaasen, 12 André Swarts, 11 James Verity-Amm, 10 George Whitehead (captain), 9 Zak Burger, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Carl Els, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 HJ Luus, 1 Mox Mxoli.
Replacements – from: Alandre van Rooyen, Bandisa Ndlovu, Madot Mabokela, Adre Smith, Zandre Jordaan, Gideon van der Merwe, Ashon Davids, Berton Klaasen, Mzwanele Zito, Johan Momsen, Bjorn Basson.
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron, Morné Ferreira
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni
