The Vodacom Bulls opted to bring their most experienced heavy hitters back to set the tone early against the DHL Stormers at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Moving into the starting XV for the Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby are Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, and Wilco Louw, with Alulutho Tshakweni, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, and Mornay Smith, who all started against the Sharks two weeks ago, dropping to the replacements bench to provide second-half impact.
In the loose forwards, there is a strategic rotation at eighth man where form man Jeandre Rudolph earns a start in the number eight jersey, moving up from the bench. Captain Marcell Coetzee and the powerhouse Elrigh Louw remain settled in their starting roles.
The Vodacom Bulls have, however, opted for total continuity in the backline. There are no changes to the starting back seven. The silky halfback pairing of Embrose Papier and Handre Pollard remains intact, while the dangerous back three of Kurt-Lee Arendse, Sebastian de Klerk, and David Kriel will once again lead the attack.
Significantly, Cobus Wiese and Marco van Staden, poised to make his 100th first-class appearance for the Vodacom Bulls, provide grunt among the forwards on the bench. Paul de Wet and Willie le Roux are retained as the specialist backline cover to provide cool heads in the closing stages.
Vodacom Bulls: 1. Gerhard Steenekamp 2. Johan Grobbelaar 3. Wilco Louw 4. Ruan Vermaak 5. Ruan Nortje 6. Marcell Coetzee (Captain) 7. Elrigh Louw 8. Jeandre Rudolph 9. Embrose Papier 10. Handre Pollard 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse 12. Harold Vorster 13. Canan Moodie 14. Sebastian de Klerk 15. David Kriel 16. Jan Hendrik Wessels 17. Alu Tshakweni 18. Mornay Smith 19. Cobus Wiese 20. Nizaam Carr 21. Marco van Staden 22. Paul de Wet 23. Willie le Roux
Not Available: Sintu Manjezi, Stravino Jacobs, Cameron Hanekom, Akker van der Merwe, Nama Xaba, Jannes Kirsten.