Bok boost for Bulls as Vorster brings up 50

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls centre Harold Vorster will make his 50th United Rugby Championship appearance for the Bulls against his former team, the Lions on Saturday at Ellis Park.

Fixture

United Rugby Championship

Ulster

14 - 15

Full-time

Zebre

All Stats and Data

The centre played 76 matches for the Lions across two competitions.

Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White made four changes to the side that did duty against Stade Francais in the Champions Cup.

Three of the four changes are injury-enforced.

Henry “Boeta” Chamberlain slots into the No.10 jersey replacing Johan Goosen with Cobus Wiese taking the place of Ruan Vermaak at lock.

Keagan Johannes returns to the side replacing Zak Burger who suffered a knock last weekend.

The other change is rotational with David Kriel returning to action in place of Stedman Gans at centre.

Kriel will partner with half-centurion in the centres with the rest of the backline remaining in tact as Sergeal Petersen and Sebastian de Klerk remain on the wings with Devon Williams at fullback.

Besides Wiese the forward pack remains unchanged from the one that did duty against Stade Francais.

The replacement bench is boosted by Willie le Roux alongside fellow Springboks Akker van der Merwe, Nizaam Carr and Canan Moodie alongside Alulutho Tshakweni, Francois Klopper, Reinhardt Ludwig and Keagan Johannes.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

3

Draws

0

Wins

2

Average Points scored

33

26

First try wins

60%

Home team wins

60%

Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrich Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Ruan Nortje (captain), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Canan Moodie, 23 Willie le Roux.

Date: Saturday, January 25
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 14.45; 12.45 GMT
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Griffin Colby (South Africa), JD Jadezweni (South Africa)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)