Carr leads second-string Bulls into battle

The Vodacom Bulls have named a virtual second-string outfit for Saturday night’s Investec Challenge Cup match against French side Castres, rotating their entire starting line-up for a game they need to win if they are to qualify for the playoffs of the competition.

Veteran flanker Nizaam Carr returns to the side to lead them into battle with virtually every position changed from their last outing against the Hollywoodbets Sharks in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship last year.

But while it is virtually a second-string side, the team still has a current Springbok in Jan-Hendrik Wessels at hooker, as well as Carr and Aphiwe Dyantyi as other Boks in the starting line-up, while former Scottish international Jaco van der Walt is on the bench.

There are a number of promising players in the side - including loosehead Alulutho Tshakweni, SA under-20 captain JF van Heerden and Bath-bound scrumhalf Bernard van der Linde while another SA under-20 star Ketlego Letebele is surprisingly at outside centre despite his young age.

Carr’s loose trio - which includes Nama Xaba and Celimpilo Gumede is an exciting trio, while Sintu Manjezi is chomping at the bit to get a start after returning to the Bulls. Interestingly Corne Beets - the former SA under-20 flanker who was heading to Leicester Tigers before the deal fell through - is on the bench as well.

Vodacom Bulls: Henry Immelman, Sibongile Novuka; Katlego Letebele, Chris Barend Smit, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Boeta Chamberlain, Bernard van der Linde; Nizaam Carr (captain), Celimpilo Gumede, Nama Xaba, Sintu Manjezi, JF van Heerden, Mornay Smith, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Alulutho Tshakweni.

Replacements: Joe van Zyl, Dylan Smith, Sebastian Lombard, Deon Slabbert, Corne Beets, Keagan Johannes, Jaco van der Walt, Cornel Smit.