Four new inclusions, two positional switches, and one player making way. This is the sum total of Vodacom Bulls coach Phiwe Nomlomo’s selection for tomorrow’s Carling Currie Cup fixture against the Fidelity ADT Lions at Ellis Park.
Up front, Simphiwe Matanzima replaces Ruan Swart at loosehead prop, while Bryan le Roux comes in for Jean Erasmus at tighthead.
In the backline, there’s a reshuffle too: Jaco van der Walt slots in at flyhalf, with Boeta Chamberlain moving from 10 to fullback.
Chris Barend Smit earns a start at inside centre, with Cornel Smit shifting one channel out to 13.
Stravino Jacobs, meanwhile, drops out of the starting line-up on account of injury.
While the Bulls hold a historical 4-1 lead over their Gauteng rivals, the recent momentum favours the Lions who secured a decisive 57-33 victory in their last meeting a year ago. The Lions have won three of their last five matches, compared to the Bulls’ two wins in the same period.
Vodacom Bulls:
- Simphiwe Matanzima
- Esethu Mnebelele
- Bryan le Roux
- Sintu Manjezi
- Dylan de Leeuw
- Nama Xaba (Captain)
- Junior Pokomela
- JJ Theron
- Zak Burger
- Jaco van der Walt
- Aphiwe Dyantyi
- Chris Barend Smit
- Cornel Smit
- Cheswill Jooste
- Boeta Chamberlain
Replacements:
- Shaun Schurmann
- Ruan Swart
- Cohen Kievit
- Abri van der Westhuizen
- Marco Ferreira
- Brooklyn Newman
- PA van Niekerk
- Katlego Letebele