A clutch of Springboks will join star hooker Johan Grobbelaar in bolstering the Vodacom Bulls for Saturday night’s important Vodacom United Rugby Championship showdown with Cardiff at Loftus.
Kurt-Lee Arendse is back at fullback, Canan Moodie on the wing and Marco van Staden at openside flank of the Bulls who were involved in the Bok win over England at Twickenham last Saturday. Johan Goosen, who was called to London by the Bok coaches but did not play any part in the game, is back in the team as the starting flyhalf.
The depth available to Bulls rugby director Jake White is underlined by the players he can afford to leave out for the Cardiff game or move to the bench - Lionel Mapoe was excellent at outside centre against the Ospreys but moves to the bench to accommodate the return of Cornal Hendriks to the No 13 jersey, while Nizaam Carr, last week’s man of the match, makes way for Van Staden.
Bismarck du Plessis played a big part in setting the Bulls on their winning way against Ospreys with his turnover work at the breakdown but is not in the match 23 this week.
Chris Smith started at flyhalf last week but this time moves to the bench to enable Goosen to get reacquainted with the No 10, with Morne Steyn, who finished the game against the Ospreys, joining fellow Bok du Plessis in dropping out of the match-day squad.
Vodacom Bulls: Kurt-Lee Arendse, David Kriel, Cornal Hendriks, Harold Vorster, Canan Moodie, Johan Goosen, Zak Burger, Elrigh Louw, Cyle Brink, Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje (captain), Ruan Vermaak, Mornay Smith, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenkamp. Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Janko Swanepoel, Nizaam Carr, Embrose Papier, Chris Smith, Lionel Mapoe.