Bulls bolstered by returning Boks

Flip van der Merwe will make his first start of the season in one of five changes to the Vodacom Bulls' pack for the match against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.

The Springbok lock missed the start of the season with a chest injury, but has recovered to take his place alongside Grant Hattingh in the second row, with Jacques du Plessis reverting to blindside flank.

Frans Ludeke has also opted to rotate his entire front row, as Adriaan Strauss, Marcel van der Merwe and Dean Greyling all start, with Callie Visagie and Trevor Nyakane dropping to the bench.

The only change among the backs sees Handré Pollard start in place of Jacques-Louis Potgieter after missing last weekend's victory over the Reds in accordance with Saru's rest agreement.

Tian Schoeman will once again offer flyhalf cover from the bench, where he is joined by a fit-again Lappies Labuschagne.

Bulls – 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Dean Greyling.
Subs: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Morné Mellett, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Lappies Labuschagne, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Tian Schoeman, 23 Jurgen Visser.

Super Rugby teams (Round 10)

Photo: Barry Aldworth/BackpagePix