Strauss to lead young Bulls to Cape Town
The Bulls will be captained by Adriaan Strauss, one of nine Springboks in the team.
The team has a youthful look about it and features four debutants at this level in the starting team.
Warrick Gelant (fullback), Nic de Jager (flank), Jannes Kirsten (flank) and Rudolph Snyman (lock) will make debuts at this level, with Lizo Gqoboka (prop) and Jason Jenkins (lock) the rookies on the bench.
The likes of Francois Brummer, Tian Schoeman, Roelof Smit, Jaco Visagie and Hencus van Wyk also have only a handful number of games at this level, but that does not faze Marais.
Francois Brummer made his Bulls debut at this venue in 2010.
"They are playing for us because they are good enough," Marais said of his young charges.
"I have faith in this group.
"Yes, we have some injuries, but that is part of the rugby landscape. I back this team to go down to Cape Town and do us proud," the coach added.
Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Nic de Jager, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Rudolph Snyman, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Tian Schoeman, Burger Odendaal.
Date: Saturday, February 27
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17.15 (15.15 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Cwengile Jadezweni (South Africa)
TMO: Christie du Preez (South Africa)
