The Vodacom Bulls will look to end their maiden European tours on a high in the fourth round of the United Rugby Championship on Saturday @ 18h15. It will all be about building on the momentum of their previous weekend's convincing win when Edinburgh hosts the Vodacom Bulls in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh is currently placed fifth and several South Africans will make their appearance for Edinburgh. WP Nel, Boan Venter, Pierre Schoeman, Luan de Bruin, Jaco van der Walt and Henry Immelman are contracted by Edinburgh.
After the Stormers shone the spotlight on Edinburgh’s vulnerabilities, the Bulls will be brimming with belief that they can topple Mike Blair’s men. Looking lethargic in the first half, the Pretoria outfit finally came good in the second half to sink Cardiff after trailing by 13 at the break.
Aside from Jaco van der Walt’s magic touches that led to two early tries, Edinburgh offered little ingenuity on attack and thus made it easy enough for the Stormers to hold their line.
What they did show on offence was patience, which will test the Bulls’ discipline as well as their stamina to get off the ground and rush back into the defensive line after making tackles.
Super-sub Arno Botha showed the need for speed and energy in the back row, which coupled with Tappe Henning’s insight into Northern Hemisphere referees’ law interpretations at the breakdown, should see the Bulls improve in this all-important area.
Losing star flyhalf Johan Goosen is a massive blow, but Chris Smith showed he’s up for the task and while he’s more of a kick-centric pivot, he’s far from one-dimensional. With the power of their pack, the pace of their outside backs and improvements at the tackle area, the Bulls have what it takes to edge an Edinburgh team ripe for the picking.
Scotland international centre Mark Bennett returns to Edinburgh Rugby’s starting XV as one of five changes named by Head Coach Mike Blair.
The inclusion of Hoyland on the wing is the only alteration to an otherwise unchanged back-three as Darcy Graham – who scored his 20th Edinburgh Rugby try against DHL Stormers – and Henry Immelman continue at wing and full back respectively.
Bennett, who was this week selected in Gregor Townsend’s 36-man training squad for Autumn Nations Series, links-up with fellow Scotland international Lang in midfield, while Shiel and flyhalf Jaco van der Walt, named Player of the Match in the draw with DHL Stormers, form a new-look half-back combination.
The remaining changes are made to the pack as club centurion and captain Stuart McInally returns at hooker, while Magnus Bradbury replaces the rested Jamie Ritchie at blindside flanker.
McInally packs down alongside an unchanged prop pairing of Pierre Schoeman – who faces his former side for the first time in his career – and Luan de Bruin, as locks Grant Gilchrist and Marshall Sykes continue in the second row.
Fijian international number 8 Viliame Mata – who has so far amassed the most carries in the URC – anchors a back-row that sees Bradbury and Luke Crosbie named at blindside and openside flanker respectively.
Elsewhere, Fijian back-row Mesulame Kunavula returns to the bench and is in line to make his first appearance of the season.
Head Coach Mike Blair, said: “We’ve talked this week about finding balance to our game after doing some really positive things in the draw with DHL Stormers.
“We were delighted to see that focus and energy in our fast start, but it’s about maintaining that throughout the full 80 minutes and ensuring we get our threatening strike runners on the ball consistently, and executing our game plan from the first whistle to last.
“The players have been buzzing to get back to DAM Health Stadium this weekend and the Vodacom Bulls present a unique challenge with their size and physicality."
“The Bulls like to get their hands on the ball and they’re also good on the ground, but they gave a lot of penalties away at the breakdown against Cardiff, so that’s an area that we’d be looking to target as well.”
The Vodacom Bulls have kept consistency in their backline while making a handful of changes in the forwards' pack.
The side will see Chris Smith earning a starting berth at flyhalf as the only change to the backline that faced Cardiff Rugby a week ago.
The forwards will see the return of Lizo Gqoboka and Mornay Smith as the starting props, while a new loose trio will see captain Marcell Coetzee playing alongside Arno Botha at blindside flanker and Muller Uys at No8.
Experienced Springbok flyhalf, Morne Steyn, will provide cover from the bench.
Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, said: “It’s been quite an experience for our squad in these past four weeks in the UK, adapting to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship – new opposition and unfamiliar conditions.
“Edinburgh is a top side that is well-coached, with a number of international players. We expect another challenging encounter against a competitive opposition. We look forward to ending off this tour on a high note.”
Marcell Coetzee and his Vodacom Bulls team are eager to build on their brilliant second-half performance against Cardiff last weekend, where they went from 3-16 down at the break to win 29-19.
“We just want a successful end for the tour,” said Coetzee.
“This after having come into a whole new tournament and not knowing what to expect. We are still quite a young group, but we are growing by the day.
“Hopefully things are right on track now and we must make sure that we don’t take a step backwards this weekend. Our performance on Saturday will say a lot about how we have grown as a group and how strong our culture is.”
Edinburgh Rugby: 15. Henry Immelman, 14. Darcy Graham, 13. Mark Bennett, 12. James Lang, 11. Damien Hoyland, 10. Jaco van der Walt, 9. Charlie Shiel, 8. Viliame Mata, 7. Luke Crosbie, 6. Magnus Bradbury, 5. Grant Gilchrist (c), 4. Marshall Sykes, 3. Luan de Bruin, 3. Luan de Bruin, 2. Stuart McInally, 1. Pierre Schoeman. Replacements: 16. Dave Cherry, 17. Boan Venter, 18. WP Nel, 19. Pierce Phillips, 20. Mesu Kunavula, 21. Connor Boyle, 22. Ben Vellacott, 23. James Johnstone.
Vodacom Bulls: 15. David Kriel, 14. Madosh Tambwe, 13. Cornal Hendricks, 12. Harold Vorster, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10. Chris Smith, 9. Embrose Papier, 8. Muller Uys, 7. Arno Botha, 6. Marcell Coetzee (c), 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Janko Swanepoel, 3. Mornay Smith, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Lizo Gqoboka. Replacements: 16. Schalk Erasmus, 17. Simphiwe Matanzima, 18. Robert Hunt, 19. Walt Steenkamp, 20. Elrigh Louw. 21. Marco Jansen van Vuren), 22. Morne Steyn, 23. Lionel Mapoe.