The Vodacom Bulls will have their sights set on bouncing back from their disappointing 32-19 defeat against the DHL Stormers last weekend when they line up against Cardiff at Loftus Versfeld on Friday at 19:00 (SA Time), but they will be wary of the visitors who have lost only four of their 12 matches to date, and who defeated Leinster in their last outing.
The men from Pretoria, however, will draw inspiration from the fact that they have only suffered two defeats at their fortress this season, while Cardiff have only won two away from home.
The Vodacom Bulls also boast a far superior attack with 83 points more scored than their opponents. Cardiff’s defence, however, has been superior, which means the hosts will have to ensure that they convert their opportunities into points, an area which cost them dearly last weekend.
The Vodacom Bulls have shuffled their deck for the clash against Cardiff, making several tactical adjustments to the side that faced the DHL Stormers last week.
The most significant news is the return of Cameron Hanekom, who finds a place on the bench after a gruelling nine-month injury lay-off. His inclusion provides a massive emotional and physical boost to the squad as he nears his first competitive minutes since last June.
The starting front row sees a change at tighthead, with Francois Klopper stepping in for Wilco Louw. Further back, Cobus Wiese moves from the bench into the starting lock position to partner Ruan Nortje, as Ruan Vermaak shifts to the replacements.
The loose trio has been recalibrated with Nizaam Carr earning a start at number eight. This move pushes Jeandre Rudolph to the bench, offering a different dynamic at the back of the scrum while retaining the leadership of Marcell Coetzee and the work rate of Elrigh Louw.
In the backline, the halfback pairing of Embrose Papier and Handré Pollard is reunited to steer the ship. However, the midfield and wings see fresh energy.
Stedman Gans returns at inside centre, replacing Harold Vorster. Cheswill Jooste gets the nod on the right wing, Sebastian de Klerk is out with a long-term injury, adding specialised pace to the wide channels.
The bench has been heavily rotated to provide significant levels of intensity. Marco van Staden and Jan-Hendrik Wessels provide high-calibre cover for the front row, while the inclusion of Khuta Mchunu and the shifting of Ruan Vermaak suggest the Vodacom Bulls are looking for a dominant second-half set-piece performance.
Cardiff name an unchanged team to face the Vodacom Bulls. Liam Belcher will captain Cardiff as the Blue & Blacks travel to South Africa with tangible United Rugby Championship play-off hopes, and they have been boosted by the availability of five Wales stars following the Six Nations.
The starting XV is unchanged from the side that brought Leinster’s 11-match winning run to an end earlier this month at the Arms Park.
The Blue & Blacks are currently fifth in the URC table, 10 points clear of eighth-placed Bulls.
Head coach Corniel van Zyl expects a backlash following the Bulls loss to DHL Stormers last week but with the race for the play offs intensifying, he insists his side are focused on one job at a time.
He said: “We are really looking forward to Friday and what will undoubtedly be a big challenge at Loftus.
“The Bulls are a quality team that is really physical and really dangerous, and they will be smarting following last week’s loss.
“So we are expecting to see the very best of the Bulls on Friday, but we have prepared well.
“We will fight for each other and the jersey, trying to put as much of our game on the pitch as possible, and see where that takes us.
“The table looks good at the moment, but a lot can change in this competition. We are just focusing on one game at a time, and taking what we can from each opportunity.”
Sam Wainwright, who was unused through the Six Nations, and James Botham, one of Wales’ standout performers, are included on the replacements bench.
There is also a return for Taulupe Faletau following the injury he suffered on New Year’s Day.
Teams:
Vodacom Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Stedman Gans, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Jeandre Rudolph, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Willie le Roux.
Cardiff Rugby: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Mason Grady, 13 Harri Millard, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Jacob Beetham, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Taine Basham, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Alun Lawrence, 5 George Nott, 4 Josh McNally, 3 Javan Sebastian, 2 Liam Belcher (c), 1 Rhys Barratt. Replacements: 16 Daf Hughes, 17 Danny Southworth, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Rory Thornton, 20 James Botham, 21 Taulupe Faletau, 22 Ellis Bevan, 23 Ioan Lloyd.