Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis will return to action after his disciplinary ban to make a massive impact as the Vodacom Bulls picked a young team to face the Sigma Lions in their Carling Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Du Plessis returns to a front row which includes recent signing Dylan Smit while Lizo Gqoboka will captain the team from loosehead. Du Plessis had just completed a three week suspension.
The Bulls team bears little resemblance to the URC-laden side that played last weekend in beating Windhoek Draught Griquas and is made up of the back-up and fringe players.
Young Juan Mostert will get his first start at flyhalf for the side while Kabelo Mokoena, who starred for Tuks in the Varsity Cup gets his debut for the side as well.
James Verity-Amm will be at fullback while David Kriel returns after a long absence with young talents like Reinhard Ludwig, Muller Uys and Janko Swanepoel in the pack.
“We are looking forward to a hard game against the Sigma Lions this week. We have also an exciting team, led by Lizo, that we have assembled for this match. We have a good mix of experience with Bismarck also back in the mix and the likes of Stedman Gans and Marco Jansen van Vuren in the backline,” said Vodacom Bulls head coach, Gert Smal.
“There is a lot of history and a rivalry that spans for decades between these two teams. Every time the Vodacom Bulls meet the Sigma Lions it is expected to be a game full of spark. They (Sigma Lions) will undoubtedly throw everything at us and will bring the competitiveness we have known between these two sides over the past 84 years.”
The match will kick-off at 17h00 and it will be televised on SuperSport.
Vodacom Bulls: James Verity-Amm, David Kriel, Stedman Gans, Marco Jansen van Vuren , Kabelo Mokoena, Juan Mostert, Keagan Johannes; Muller Uys, Reinhardt Ludwig, Jaco Labuschagne, Janko Swanepoel, Raynard Roets, Dylan Smith, Bismarck du Plessis, Lizo Gqoboka (captain)
Replacements: Sidney Tobias, Cebo Dlamini, Francois Kloppers, Ruan Delport, Stephan Smith ; Bernard van der Linde, Diego Appollis, Richard Kriel
