Unchanged Bulls target redemption
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls head coach John Micthell named an unchanged starting XV to face the Jaguares at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The fixture will be the last home match for the side in year’s Super Rugby competition.
The same starting side that lost to a late score against the Sunwolves in Singapore last weekend will thus get a chance to redeem themselves.
Mitchell made some changes to the bench though, with the most prominent the inclusion of Springbok scrumhalf, Ivan van Zyl, in place of Andre Warner.
The team will again be captained by Springboks flyhalf Handré Pollard.
When asked why the head coach selected the same starting XV who suffered a 37-42 defeat to the Sunwolves he revealed that “the main purpose behind the unchanged selection is to uphold the cohesion and connection in the group,”
The coach further explained that it’s also the only players available and he “won’t select Under-19s nor Under-20s because there is a huge difference between the Challenge Cup and Super Rugby,”
“We are determined to close out the season at home with a solid performance,” Mitchell said.
“We have grown as a team and our supporters started believing again, and we would like to reward that trust in us. In the end, the season did not quite finish the way we wanted, but I am happy that we took some important steps in the right direction. We will reap the benefits of that in future,”
Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Divan Rossouw, 10 Handré Pollard (captain), 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 RG Snyman, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima/Matthys Basson, 18 Mornay Smit, 19 Thembelani Bholi, 20 Nick de Jager, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Dries Swanepoel.:
Date: Saturday, July 7
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 15.05 (13.05 GMT, 10.05 Argentina Time)
Referee: Egon Seconds (South Africa)
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs (South Africa), Jaco Kotze (South Africa)
TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
