Pollard and Giliomee start for Bulls against Stade Français

The Vodacom Bulls have made wholesale changes to their starting XV for this week’s Investec Champions Cup opening round clash against Stade Français, with Handré Pollard returning at flyhalf, Elrigh Louw taking over the captaincy and Under-20 tyro Luan Giliomee earning his first start at fullback.

Giliomee’s promotion is one of the standout talking points in a reshuffled Bulls backline, with the youngster handed an opportunity to make his mark at senior level. His selection at No 15 comes at the expense of the experienced Willie le Roux, who moves to the bench to provide valuable cover and leadership.

The Bulls have made multiple changes to their starting line-up following last week’s selection, with several players promoted from the replacements and others returning to the match-day squad.

Pollard’s inclusion at No 10 is another major boost, with the Springbok pivot replacing Curwin Bosch. His experience and game management will be important as the Vodacom Bulls look to dictate proceedings against the French opposition. Paul de Wet retains the scrumhalf position.

Up front, Alu Tshakweni, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Khutha Mchunu form an entirely new starting front row, replacing Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Francois Klopper. Cobus Wiese also moves into the second row alongside JF van Heerden, with Ruan Vermaak dropping out of the 23-man squad.

There is a significant reshuffle in the loose forwards. Marco van Staden and Louw move into the starting line-up, with the latter assuming the captaincy, while Cameron Hanekom retains his place at No 8. Hanro Liebenberg drops out of the match-day squad, while Jeandre Rudolph moves to the bench.

The backline sees further changes, with Cheswill Jooste coming in on the left wing and Sango Xamlashe selected at outside centre. Harold Vorster and Sebastian de Klerk retain their places at inside centre and right wing respectively.

Among the replacements, Embrose Papier comes in for Keagan Johannes, while Stravino Jacobs joins Le Roux in providing backline cover. Johan Grobbelaar, Steenekamp and Klopper are also named among the forwards on the bench.

The selection presents an intriguing blend of experience and emerging talent. Pollard brings international pedigree, Louw takes on the responsibility of leading the side, and Giliomee gets a valuable opportunity to step up from the under-20 ranks and stake his claim.

For the Bulls, the challenge will be to ensure the new combinations click quickly, with the performance of the reshaped pack and the composure of the young fullback among the key talking points heading into the Stade Français encounter.

Louw says the Bulls are taking no half-measures in their pursuit of European glory, firmly brushing aside any suggestion that South African franchises view the Investec Champions Cup as a secondary concern.

Speaking after a rigorous training session in the Pretoria heat, Louw made it clear that the squad’s ambitions are non-negotiable as they prepare to launch another campaign among Europe’s elite.

“I think we let it slip last season at home,” Louw said. “So definitely we want to win all the games at home and then make a statement overseas. There’s a lot of perception about this competition and the South African sides but we take it as seriously as any other team, and we want to win it. That’s definitely our mindset.”

The shift in tournament scheduling to October works heavily in favour of the South African set-up, allowing teams to field their full contingent of international stars rather than navigating mandatory player rest periods mid-campaign.

“It’s definitely beneficial to have your Springboks playing for your team,” Louw noted.

That experience will be vital against Stade Francais this weekend, where the physical demands are compounded by high temperatures and altitude.

“French teams always have a big, heavy forward pack that relies a lot on scrums, mauls, and set-piece, so that’s a massive battle for us,” Louw explained. “And then there’s a lot of flair in the backline. It’s a tough battle up front and a lot of flair coming from the backs.”

When asked about the deciding factor in these high-stakes encounters, Louw was blunt.

“Discipline will be massive. We saw in the past couple of games that discipline gets you in a lot of trouble. French teams are formidable when they come into the 22, and the way they get into the 22 is via penalties.”

Despite the growing narrative surrounding high-profile matches between French and South African heavyweights, Louw dismissed any talk of emotional rivalries.

“We take it game for game. We don’t think about rivalries. We play the team that comes to Loftus or we go to the team where we go. Whether it’s Vodacom URC or Investec Champions Cup, we take a lot of momentum out of the Lions game and a lot of confidence, but we just focus on the next opposition.”

The press conference took a poignant turn when the discussion shifted to World Rugby’s upcoming law change targeting the drop-down tackle, set to take effect in November. The technique, which has caused high-profile injuries across international rugby in recent weeks, was the exact action that previously sidelined Louw with a catastrophic injury.

“It does hit me quite personally,” Louw admitted quietly. “I think they’ve implemented that rule in a few different sports, like the NFL where it’s against the law, so I think it’s a great adjustment to rugby. We saw it again last weekend with an ankle injury (in Bledisloe Cup) from a drop tackle. For future player safety, I’m very happy that they changed the law.”

Reflecting on his own arduous journey back to match fitness and his return to the Springbok set-up, Louw acknowledged the mental hurdles he had to overcome.

“The injury is in the past now, but to get back into the set-up after the injury was almost as good as the first time I played for the Boks. It was tough, mentally, for me to get back. Some people just get back and play to the best of their ability, but I had to work hard to get back some of my form. I don’t think I’m there yet, to be honest but just to get an opportunity to be in the Springbok set-up again was massive for me.”

As he builds toward his physical peak, the back-row powerhouse noted that his personal drive has evolved significantly over time.

“When you’re younger, you play more for yourself and your dreams,” Louw reflected. “As you get older, you see that playing for the team raises everybody up, including yourself. I’m much more team-focused now, and I just want to get back to the form I was in before the injury.”

Vodacom Bulls starting XV: 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Sango Xamlashe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Cheswill Jooste; 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Paul de Wet; 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw (capt), 6 Marco van Staden; 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese; 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 1 Alu Tshakweni. Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Jaco Grobbelaar, 20 Jeandre Rudolph, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Stravino Jacobs, 23 Willie le Roux.

Vodacom Bulls v Stade Francais - Saturday @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (2pm)

Referee: Christophe Ridley

TV: SuperSport