Boks boost Bulls touring squad

The Vodacom Bulls have announced a strong touring squad for their final overseas jaunt of the year, covering both their one Vodacom United Rugby Championship match and first outing in the Investec Champions Cup over the next fortnight.

The strong squad, which includes almost all of their Springbok players, will face Connacht in Galway on Saturday night and then head across for their massive Champions Cup opener against Saracens next weekend.

The Bulls are currently lying third on the table, with four wins in five games and the match in Connacht is a massive one for them as well, considering they have never won in Galway in their short URC history.

With Connacht likely to be without their Irish stars, the Bulls will see an opportunity, as well as honing in on a team that will take on a star-studded Saracens the following week.

While the squad contains all the regulars, the Bulls are without Bok lock Ruan Nortje, and utility forward Reinhardt Ludwig, both of whom are injured. As a result, Deon Slabbert has joined from the Pumas as lock cover for the side. And while Jan-Hendrik Wessels is also still injured, the Bulls can rely on their Bok front row of Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw on the tour, while new Bok Cameron Hanekom and Bok regulars Elrigh Louw and Marco van Staden are both there.

The Bulls have several options up front as well, with experience from Akker van der Merwe, Celimpilo Gumede, Cobus Wiese, Jannes Kirsten, Marcell Coetzee and Ruan Vermaak all available as well.

At the back Willie le Roux - now on 98 caps for the Springboks - stands out while Canan Moodie is the only other current Bok in the backline grouping.

Kurt-Lee Arendse has now headed to Japan to join his new club on a sabbatical and is conspicuous by his absence.

The Bulls do have Johan Goosen back though, and that is a boost while David Kriel is also there.

Depending on the way coach Jake White sees it, the Bulls can pick a very strong starting line-up, but the only question will be if they do that only for Saracens, or give a number of the returning Boks a game against Connacht as well.

Travelling fatigue must come into it, as the Bulls were overseas for three weeks before the Bok tour was announced and many of those Boks spent a day or so at home before heading out with the national side for four weeks - three weeks on tour and a training camp in Jersey as well.

Those Boks have remained in Europe and join up with the squad on their arrival in Galway but will understandably be looking forward to more sunny weather when they get back to South Africa.

VODACOM BULLS END-OF-YEAR TOURING SQUAD

FORWARDS: Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni, Cameron Hanekom, Celimpilo Gumede, Cobus Wiese, Deon Slabbert, Dylan Smith, Elrigh Louw, Francois Klopper, Gerhard Steenekamp, Jannes Kirsten, JF van Heerden, Johan Grobbelaar, Juann Else, Kuyenzeka Xaba, Marcell Coetzee, Marco van Staden, Mornay Smith, Sebastian Lombard, Ruan Vermaak, Wilco Louw

BACKS: Aphiwe Dyantyi, Boeta Chamberlain, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Devon Williams, Embrose Papier, Harold Vorster, Johan Goosen, Keagan Johannes, Sebastian de Klerk, Stedman Gans, Willie le Roux, Zak Burger