21 debutants for Bulls in Currie Cup

With a team playing in the Rainbow Cup final, and several others out, the Vodacom Blue Bulls managed to put out a very different looking side for their Carling Currie Cup opener against DHL Western Province on Saturday.

Altogether 44 players are unavailable for the game, meaning the team is a mixture of fringe squad members, juniors and club rugby players as the Bulls scramble to fulfill a fixture that should have been a classic opener to the Currie Cup season.

Instead it will now be a bit of a mismatch, as 21 of the 23 players make their Currie Cup debuts for the Bulls and at least 15 were involved in Carlton Cup rugby last week.

Other than fullback Richard Kriel and returning prop Simphiwe Matanzima, there will be few players that fans will know going into the game.

Matanzima will be alongside the likes of Francois Klopper in the front row - Klopper has played twice for the Sharks in the SuperSport Challenge while Tuks hooker Werner Fourie makes up the front row.

The team will be captained by Sango Xamlashe, who led Tuks in the Varsity Cup this year.

Flyhalf Jandre Burger, the younger brother of scrumhalf Zac, will take the number 10 jersey while Johan MulderIncredibly 44 players cannot be considered for Saturday’s clash against Western Province: 28 have traveled to Italy, 4 are with the Springboks, 4 are out due to injuries, 2 are on duty with the Blitzboks and 6 have been called up to the Junior Boks.

Vodacom Blue Bulls: Richard Kriel, Sebastiaan Jobb, Sango Xamlashe (captain), Louritz van der Schyff, Kefentse Mahlo, Jandre Burger, Johan Mulder, Jaco Bezuidenhout, Jaco Labuschagne, Henco Beukes, Tiaan de Klerk, JJ Scheepers, Francois Klopper, Werner Fourie, Simphiwe Matanzima.

Reserves: Llewelyn Classen, Dewald Donald, Mhleli Dlamini, Adolph Visser, Eduan Lubbe, Tiaan Fourie, Kabelo Mokoena, Niel Beukes, Uzile Tele.