Vodacom Bulls coach Jake White has made no less than six changes to the side that lost to Edinburgh in the EPCR Challenge Cup for his side’s visit to Thomond Park to take on Irish side Munster on Saturday, significantly strengthening the side.
There is a lot of method in the changes, as White has brought back several players who were on the fringes, or who have recently returned from injury as they look for their first victory in Limerick since the start of the URC.
While many of the changes were likely to happen as many of the players had second-half roles off the bench in the fightback against Edinburgh, the one surprising one was the return of powerful utility forward Cobus Wiese.
The big lock/loose forward has been out of action and the Bulls have kept his return under wraps.
But he has been included in the starting line-up as one of the more significant changes to the team, bulking up the forward pack for the expected forward battle against the Munster pack.
Also up is Jan-Hendrik Wessels who continues to improve with every game and impressed in the second half against Edinburgh when coming off the bench.
Wessels joins Akker van der Merwe and Wilco Louw in a front row that looks like it wants to do some significant damage at the setpiece, and with the bulk of Wiese behind them, it certainly could do so.
YOUR team to face Munster tomorrow night 🔥
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) April 18, 2025
🏉Vodacom Bulls vs Munster
🗓️19 April 2025
⏰KICK-OFF: 18:15
📍Thomond Park
📺SuperSport 201@Vodacom #URC | @URCOfficial_RSA #ForeverBlue pic.twitter.com/wqNP7LE3ml
Interestingly the loose trio has been kept the same, with Jannes Kirsten, who copped a yellow card for a dangerous tackle last week and was lucky not to get a red for a second similar offence, keeping his place alongside Marcell Coetzee and Cameron Hanekom.
As expected Embrose Papier and Johan Goosen return to the starting line-up at halfback, while the midfield combination stays the same.
Significantly Canan Moodie’s impressive second-half performance against Edinburgh means he is back in the starting line-up on the wing, while the last change sees Sebastian de Klerk, who was red carded for a dangerous mid-air collision in the game against Leinster, returning on the other wing.
The Bulls bench also has a strong look to it, with Simphiwe Matanzima joining Mornay Smith and Springbok hooker Johan Grobbelaar on the bench as the back-up front row.
SA under-20 captain JF van Heerden and Nizaam Carr are the two other forwards while last weekend’s halfback duo of Zak Burger and Keagan Johannes are on the bench with Stravino Jacobs rounding out the replacements.
The VURC is BACK in action this weekend 🔥
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) April 16, 2025
🏉Vodacom Bulls vs Munster
🗓️19 April 2025
⏰KICK-OFF: 18:15
📍Thomond Park
📺SuperSport 201@Vodacom #URC | @URCOfficial_RSA #ForeverBlue pic.twitter.com/fkGErORQT4
Vodacom Bulls: Devon Williams; Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Canan Moodie; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Cameron Hanekom, Jannes Kirsten, Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Nortje (captain), Cobus Wiese, Wilco Louw, Akker van der Merwe, Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, JF van Heerden, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger, Keagan Johannes, Stravino Jacobs.