The Vodacom Bulls will host the Scarlets in Pretoria in the opening game of the United Rugby Championship weekend tonight at 19h10.
The Vodacom Bulls will have their sights set on earning their third victory in a row and trying to improve their 10th place standing on the log when they line up against the Scarlets at Loftus Versfeld, although they will be wary that the visitors will be desperate to bounce back from their defeat in Durban last week.
Depending on the other results this weekend, the team from Pretoria could move up as many as four places on the log if they earn a win, and that will certainly spark even more excitement among the players as they target their next few home games to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with.
Scarlets will have their first taste of the high altitude at Loftus, however, unfortunately, there will be no problems with the temperature and an expected soft and wet pitch will make them feel at home.
The Vodacom Bulls will find their visitors to be extremely physical which will be no pushover, and, they will have to fight the fatigue of some of their own players who have already played once and some even twice already this week.
Vodacom Bulls loose-forward, Cyle Brink, is set to make his Vodacom United Rugby Championship debut on tonight.
The Tshwane-based side has made 10 changes to the team that was in action in the domestic match on Wednesday and four changes to the victorious team that was in action against Munster the past weekend.
“It has been a very busy week for us as a squad this week – playing three tough matches in a space of seven days in both the Vodacom URC and Carling Currie Cup,” said Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, ahead of the game.
“Management of our playing personnel has been key this week. As a result, we have made a total of 10 changes to the team that was on duty on Wednesday night against the Cell C Sharks in the Carling Currie Cup.
“We have another tough match against a Scarlets team that has shown what a threat they can be I the Vodacom URC. We will need to be sharp and prepared to play an 80-minute game in what promises to be a highly competitive encounter.”
Some of the changes to the team from the match against Munster will see Canan Moodie earning a starting berth at wing, while Cornal Hendricks shifts to outside centre, where he will form a midfield pairing with Harold Vorster.
Zak Burger returns to the starting XV at scrumhalf, while in the forwards Brink will don the No7 jersey.
Argentina international Tomas Lezana returns from injury for the Scarlets' second game of their South African tour.
Lezana hasn’t played since picking up an ankle injury during the Champions Cup defeat in Bordeaux in January and is one of eight changes, one positional, to the Scarlets starting XV for the rescheduled URC clash.
In the back three, Ioan Nicholas, who has recovered from a hamstring issue, replaces the injured Tom Rogers, while a fit-again Ryan Conbeer comes in for Corey Baldwin on the left-wing.
Johnny Williams and captain Scott Williams are paired in midfield for the fourth successive week, while Rhys Patchell has been passed fit to start at fly-half and he will partner scrum-half, Dane Blacker.
In the front row, Kemsley Mathias gets the nod at loose-head for his first start in the competition, while Javan Sebastian comes in for the injured Samson Lee at tight-head. Lee suffered a rupture of an Achilles tendon in training this week and has flown back to the UK.
Sam Lousi and Jac Price continue at lock, while there is a reshuffle in the back row. Aaron Shingler is named at blindside, Lezana replaces Dan Davis at openside and Blade Thomson switches to No. 8 with Sione Kalamafoni named among the replacements.
There is also a welcome return of Wales international prop Rob Evans, who is set for his first appearance since picking up a knee injury against the Ospreys on New Year’s Day. Lock Morgan Jones is another who comes onto the bench.
Scarlets' head coach Dwayne Peel said: “The Bulls are obviously a quality side, a lot of internationals, a big physical pack. We talked last week that physicality is non-negotiable in South Africa, which is a starting point for us, they also have some fast backs who are clinical when they get opportunities. It is about matching that physicality, not kicking loosely and also being excited when we have the ball as well. We saw glimpses last week of some really good stuff when we have the ball, if we can finish a few of those off we will be happy.”
Weather: 21° with 7km/h NNW wind, mostly clear skies with 60% humidity.
Prediction: Vodacom Bulls by 7.
Vodacom Bulls: 15. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14. Canan Moodie, 13. Cornal Hendricks, 12. Harold Vorster, 11. Madosh Tambwe, 10. Chris Smith, 9. Zak Burger, 8. Elrigh Louw, 7. Cyle Brink , 6. Marcell Coetzee (c), 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Walt Steenkamp, 3. Jacques van Rooyen, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 1. Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16. Joe van Zyl, 17. Simphiwe Matanzima, 18. Robert Hunt, 19. Reinhardt Ludwig, 20. Arno Botha, 21. Keagan Johannes, 22. Morne Steyn, 23. Lionel Mapoe.
Scarlets: 15. Ioan Nicholas; 14. Steff Evans, 13. Johnny Williams, 12. Scott Williams (c), 11. Ryan Conbeer, 10. Rhys Patchell, 9. Dane Blacker, 8. Blade Thomson, 7. Tomas Lezana, 6. Aaron Shingler, 5. Jac Price, 4. Sam Lousi, 3. Javan Sebastian, 2. Daf Hughes, 1. Kemsley Mathias. Replacements: 16. Shaun Evans, 17. Rob Evans, 18. Harri O’Connor, 19. Morgan Jones, 20. Sione Kalamafoni, 21. Archie Hughes, 22. Sam Costelow, 23. Joe Roberts.
