The Vodacom Bulls will give one of South Africa’s most promising teenage rugby players - former Affies captain Reinhardt Ludwig his debut in Saturday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship match against the DHL Stormers at Loftus Versfeld.
The 19-year old Ludwig, who was selected for the SA under-20 squad last year, is seen as one of the big up-and-coming junior stars and was a massive part of the Bulls under-20 side over the past season.
While he has played in the Currie Cup, this will be his URC debut for the side as he slots into a loose trio that includes Arno Botha and the irrepressible Elrigh Louw.
As expected, the Bulls will have Cornal Hendricks as captain and the bulk of the side that opened their Currie Cup campaign against the Pumas a week ago has been selected.
Tighthead prop Mornay Smit makes a return from injury while there is a very familiar look to the rest of the side.
With the bulk of the squad getting a run in the two Currie Cup outings, the Bulls will go into the game confident and in form.
David Kriel, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Madosh Tambwe head an exciting back three, while Lionel Mapoe - one of the few players who played against WP in Cape Town on Wednesday - is back for a second game in a week.
The other players who were involved in Wednesday’s game - Springboks Bismarck du Plessis, Marcell Coetzee, Morne Steyn and midfielder Harold Vorster are all on the bench.
Coach Jake White dismissed worries about fatigue after two games in a week.
“I haven’t picked anybody who doesn’t feel up to it and Lionel (Mapoe), for instance, has plenty of experience and is keen to play. The guys on the bench have enough experience between them and they give the option that someone like Lionel doesn’t have to play 80 minutes, and on the field he can use his voice and communicate if he feels he has had enough.
“If I look at our team it gives me confidence that we are covered in all aspects. We can finish the game with Bismarck, Marcell, Morne and Harold on the field, and if we don’t use them we will manage it accordingly.
“I feel we have to get back to winning ways in the URC and we are playing at home, and this is a talented Stormers side that will come here. We have to bite the bullet and see if we are good enough.”
The confidence from the win in Cape Town on Wednesday has filtered through the side and given them a boost ahead of the fixture.
“It was one of the best performances in Cape Town in a long time in that first 40 minutes. Considering it was those players’ first outing in a long time, I was very happy with it, even though I didn’t enjoy that we leaked those tries and that card at the end. But if you asked me beforehand, I would have taken a 40-point start, or a bonus-point win in Cape Town anytime.”
White also dismissed some criticism of the Bulls selections in using their URC players in the Currie Cup.
“If we talk up the Currie Cup and say it is the oldest domestic competition and started in 1890, then we must take it seriously. I’m proud of those Bulls performances and now our fans know how proud we are and that we take the competition seriously.”
The match kicks off at 5pm.
Vodacom Bulls: David Kriel, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Lionel Mapoe, Cornal Hendricks (captain), Madosh Tambwe; Chris Smith, Embrose Papier; Elrigh Louw, Reinhardt Ludwig, Arno Botha, Ruan Nortje, Walt Steenkamp, Mornay Smit, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, Lizo Gqoboka, Jacques van Rooyen, Janko Swanepoel, Marcell Coetzee, Zak Burger, Morne Steyn, Harold Vorster.