Jake White makes changes as Bulls gear up for Lions
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has revealed his team to face the Lions in Saturday’s rescheduled Round Nine clash at Loftus Versfeld.
This week, the team sees Springbok forward Gerhard Steenekamp coming into the starting fold in the front row, where he will be alongside Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw.
Behind them, Cobus Wiese returns to full match fitness and slots in at lock alongside fellow Springbok alignment camp invitee JF van Heerden.
Marco van Staden and skipper Reinhardt Ludwig will do duty in the back row with Celimpilo Gumede at No.8.
Meanwhile, Springbok No.8 Cameron Hanekom has not been included. He has not featured for the Bulls since suffering a leg contusion against the Stormers on February 8.
At the back, Embrose Papier and Willie le Roux have another bite at the halfback combination cherry with World Cup-winning wing Canan Moodie moving to the left wing and Sebastian de Klerk coming into the fold on the right-hand side of the park.
The pair with fast twitching muscles will flank the central combination of David Kriel and Stedman Gans with Devon Williams’ long boot trusted at fullback once more.
White has gone with a five-three split bench that features Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Francois Klopper, Ruan Vermaak, Nizaam Carr, Sergeal Petersen and Zak Burger who were all part of last week’s defeat to the Sharks.
There are also new additions in Alulutho Tshakweni and Keagan Johannes who have been added for impetus later in the game.
Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 David Kriel, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Willie le Roux, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Mpilo Gumede, 7 Reinhardt Ludwig (captain), 6 Marco van Staden, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Keagan Johannes, 23 Sergeal Petersen.
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 14.00 (12.00 GMT)
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Morne Ferreira (South Africa), Sean Muller (South Africa)
TMO: Egon Seconds (South Africa)
