The Vodacom Bulls will unleash a bunch of their new recruits in their opening game against Scarlets at Loftus Versveld on Sunday.
In the absence of some of their regular Springboks, Director of Rugby Jake White has handed debuts to former Springbok Wilco Louw, while Pumas recruits Sebastian de Klerk and Devon Williams will both start the game. Two more of their recruits, former Springbok Akker van der Merwe and Scottish international Jaco van der Walt are on the bench.
The Bulls know they want a good start to this year’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship but White admitted earlier in the week the team will rotate and use their squad depth more this year - something which they didn’t do last season and ended up costing them.
SA under-20 star Cameron Hanekom has also been handed a debut after his impressive performances in the under-20 league and White has backed the youngster to have a good season alongside the likes of Springboks Marcell Coetzee and Elrigh Louw.
Gerhard Steenekamp, who made his Bok debut earlier this year, starts at loosehead with Johan Grobbelaar getting the nod ahead of Van der Merwe for the hooker spot, and Louw coming in to form a top class front row.
Ruan Vermaak will pack down alongside co-captain Ruan Nortje at lock while Coetzee, Louw and Hanekom are the loose trio.
Embrose Papier partners Johan Goosen - who according to White has been very impressive in the pre-season - as the halfbacks while David Kriel is an interesting selection at outside centre, also being preferred to specialist 13s in Stedman Gans and Lionel Mapoe.
Stravino Jacobs is back from a long layoff with injury while De Klerk and Williams will be hoping to show their Currie Cup form can be transformed into URC rugby.
On the bench Van der Merwe joins regulars Mornay Smith and Simphiwe Matanzima as the back-up front row, while Reinhardt Ludwig and Nizaam Carr are the other forwards on the bench. Zak Burger, Gans and Van der Walt round out the reserves.
Vodacom Bulls: Devon Williams, Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Marcell Coetzee (co-captain), Ruan Nortje (co-captain), Ruan Vermaak, Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Reinhardt Ludwig, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger, Jaco van der Walt, Stedman Gans.