Jake White named a strong Vodacom Bulls side featuring most of the players who did duty in the Champions Cup playoffs for the Currie Cup match against Griquas in Pretoria on Friday.
Having taken the reins as Currie Cup head coach, White named as strong a side as possible as the Vodacom Bulls look to bounce back from a run of 10 consecutive losses in all competitions.
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Outside backs Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie are part of a contingent of 10 capped Springboks in the matchday-23, which also includes scrumhalf Embrose Papier, No 8 Elrigh Louw and captain Ruan Nortje.
Harold Voster and a fit-and-firing Stedman Gans form an exciting centre partnership, while Chris Smith and Papier are the halfbacks.
The Vodacom Bulls will be able to call on the experience of veterans Bismarck du Plessis, Nizaam Carr and Cornal Hendricks from the bench, while the young scrumhalf Keagan Johannes gets another opportunity after some impressive performances in the early stages of the Currie Cup.
Vodacom Bulls – 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 David Kriel, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Subs: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Johan Goosen, 23 Cornal Hendricks.
❗️TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT
Not available due to injury:
Malcom Jaer – SC joint sprain.
Andrew Beerwinkel – Knee Injury obtained whilst on loan to Boland. pic.twitter.com/QyYL3Qj8WT
— Griquas Rugby (@GriquasRugby) April 6, 2023
Photo: Twitter: @BlueBullsRugby