The Vodacom Bulls will welcome the Emirates Lions to Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday, 22 February, looking to consolidate its log position and a season double over the Jukskei rivals. However, the latter will be less important for the team than the former.
The team this week sees Springbok forward Gerhard Steenekamp coming into the starting fold at 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.
‘Eskom’, aka Marco van Staden and skipper Reinhardt Ludwig will do duty at loose forward with Celimpilo ka Gumede at eight.
At the back, Embrose Papier and Willie le Roux have another bite at the halfback combination cherry with World Cup winning winger 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.
Director of Rugby, Jake White has gone with a five-three split impact squad that features Jan-hendrik Wessels, Francois Klopper, Ruan Vermaak, Nizaam Carr, Sergeal Petersen and Zak Burger who all started last week’s match. There are also new additions in Alulutho Tshakweni and Keagan Johannes who have been added for impetus later in the game.
Vodacom Bulls: 1. Gerhard Steenekamp, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Cobus Wiese, 5. JF van Heerden, 6. Marco van Staden, 7. Reinhardt Ludwig (c), 8. Celimpilo Gumede, 9. Embrose Papier, 10. Willie le Roux, 11. Canan Moodie, 12. David Kriel, 13. Stedman Gans, 14. Sebastian de Klerk, 15. Devon Williams. Repacements: 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.