The Vodacom Bulls have made a few positional changes as well as personnel for their round 13 clash against Irish outfit Leinster Rugby. The two titanic sides will battle it out at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, 22 March, a rematch of the 2023/24 semi-final as clubs in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship look to consolidate their log standings in the run towards the knockout phase of the competition.
Director of Rugby, Jake White has assembled a front row that sees Alulutho Tshakweni, Akker van der Merwe, and Wilco Louw combine to lead the charge against the side out of Dublin. Behind them, Ruan Vermaak and JF van Heerden link up on lock duties with skipper Marcell Coetzee and Jannes Kirsten at loose forward. The return to full fitness of the boisterous Cameron Hanekom will see him add impetus at eight.
At half-back, White has paired up scrumhalf Embrose Papier and the versatile Keagan Johannes who will be marshalling the troops from flyhalf.
In the absence of Springbok winger, there is a return to action for Stravino ‘Rocket Man’ Jacobs, who starts at left wing, complementing fellow speed-king Sebastian de Klerk on the right side of the fortress. In-between the fast movers will be the centre duo of David Kriel and Harold Vorster, with the wise Willie le Roux back at fullback.
White has gone with a six-two split impact squad that features Johan Grobbelaar, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Mornay Smith, Reinhardt Ludwig, Marco van Staden, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger and Devon Williams.
Springbok World Cup-winning coach and assistant coach of the visiting side, Jacques Nienabar says the match will be a closely contested test. “The Vodacom Bulls are a star-studded side. The squad that Jake has built is a full-on international squad, bar one or two positions and even those positions, they are not too far out the radar of the National selectors,”
“It will be a test match-like intensity kind of match, that is what we expect this .”
Vodacom Bulls: 1. Alulutho Tshakweni, 2. Akker van der Merwe, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Ruan Vermaak, 5. JF van Heerden, 6. Marcell Coetzee (c), 7. Jannes Kirsten, 8. Cameron Hanekom, 9. Embrose Papier, 10. Keagan Johannes, 11. Stravino Jacobs, 12. Harold Vorster, 13. David Kriel, 14. Sebastian de Klerk, 15. Willie le Roux. Replacements: 16. Johan Grobbelaar, 17. Jan-hendrik Wessels, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Reinhardt Ludwig, 20. Marco van Staden, 21. Nizaam Carr, 22. Zak Burger, 23. Devon Williams.