Elrigh Louw - who captains the side - will notch up his 50th cap in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship when the Vodacom Bulls host the Ospreys in Round 15 of the 2023/24 campaign.
Saturday's clash will also see Jannes Kirsten make his competition debut for the Tshwane-based outfit since arriving in the capital.
The meeting at Loftus Versfeld Stadium starts at 3pm and tickets start at R 50 from Ticketpro only.
Louw shifts to flank with Cameron Hanekom moving to eighthman and Nizaam Carr returning to the matchday fold in the No 6 jersey. In front of the back row will be the lock duo of Ruan Vermaak and Reinhardt Ludwig with an unchanged front row of Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw.
Scrumhalf, Embrose Papier will combine with Chris Smith (flyhalf) with Johann Goosen serving a three-week ban. Behind the halfbacks will be Kurt-Lee Arendse at left wing with Harold Vorster (inside) and David Kriel (outside) at centre whilst Canan Moodie shifts to right wing. Willie Le Roux will run out at fullback.
Kirsten, who has been sidelined by injury since signing for the herd, will form part of a 5-3 bench which also has the likes of Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Janko Swanepoel, Zak Burger, Jaco van der Valt and Devon Williams all on standby for duty as the side chases more points in the Race To The Eight.
The Ospreys are six points behind their hosts and a win in the highveld would be their second on tour and a major boost to their playoff ambitions. For the South Africans, a victory would help keep fate in their own hands and Director of Rugby, Jake White says their focus is on exactly that.
“We still have our destiny in our own hands, we still have three games at home until the end of this campaign. Every game has to be like a final in a competition that is as competitive as this league where everyone is still in it with a chance. There are so many permutations that can happen and while we can control winning at Loftus and still have a chance of getting the final game, then we still have our destiny in our own control and that is important.”
On Kirsten making his long-awaited debut, White remarked: “He is one of those guys who has won the European Cup and the English Premiership and there aren’t many guys who have done that. So, he brings to the team, at the back end of a competition where it is now like knockout rugby, an incredible amount of knowledge, understanding and calmness.
“He is another guy who might not be captain but definitely has some leadership qualities to help the youngsters on the field as well. He is a very detailed guy and incredibly bright. I can only think for the youngsters that if he can instill what he knows and what he has learnt then he is already then he will already have had an impact even off the field.”
Bulls starting XV: 15 Willie Le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse; 10 Chris Smith, 9 Embrose Papier; 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw (capt), 6 Nizaam Carr; 5 Reinhardt Ludwig, 4 Ruan Vermaak; 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Jannes Kirsten, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Jaco van der Valt, 23 Devon Williams.
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