Combrinck gets new role at Bulls
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have named their side to face Connacht in Round Two of the United Rugby Championship on Friday.
The South African side will take on the Irish team at The Sportsground in Galway.
Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has made a handful of changes to the team that featured in the opening round last week.
Arguably the most notable of the changes include Springbok Ruan Combrinck earning his first starting berth for the side – after making his debut off the bench during the Currie Cup campaign.
Combrinck will start at fullback, alongside another new starter in Stravino Jacobs, who will don the No.11 jersey.
The forwards will buckle down with a new-look front row as loosehead prop Lizo Gqoboka, hooker Joe van Zyl and tighthead prop Jacques van Rooyen will be part of the starting XV.
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“We have another tough encounter ahead of us,” White said.
“To face two top Irish sides back-to-back is no easy challenge.
“Connacht is a strong, well-coached side; and they will be looking to bounce back from their defeat to Cardiff in the opening round.
“We have also put the defeat to Leinster behind us, and we look forward to testing ourselves, again this week, against another quality outfit in the United Rugby Challenge.”
Bulls: 15 Ruan Combrinck, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Zak Burger, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Jacques van Rooyen, 2 Joe van Zyl, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Jacques du Plessis, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Stedman Gans.
Date: Friday, October 1
Venue: The Sportsground, Galway
Kick-off: 19.35 (20.35 SA time; 18.30 GMT)
Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Paul Haycock (Ireland), Andrew Cole (Ireland)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Ireland)
