Botha captains youthful Bulls

The Vodacom Bulls have named a youthful match-day squad for their final regular-season Currie Cup match against the Pumas in Nelspruit on Sunday.

The team includes a host of players who won the U21 Championship for their first taste of senior rugby. Among those is Dawid Kellerman, who takes over the inside-centre position and forms the midfield alongside Marnus Potgieter.

Meanwhile, Clinton Swart shows his worth as a utility player as he starts at fullback, with Jade Stighling and Stravino Jacobs continuing on the wings.

Experienced Springboks Morne Steyn and Ivan van Zyl will resume their halfback partnership.

Among the forwards, Duane Vermeulen has been given a well-deserved break, allowing Arno Botha to take over the captaincy. Botha is joined in the back row by No 8 Tim Agaba, who starts for the first time this season, and another youngster in WJ Steenkamp.

Janko Swanepoel will have his first Currie Cup start at lock, after making his debut off the bench against the Lions on Wednesday.

There is also a new-look front row, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Gerhard Steenkamp propping up hooker Joe van Zyl.

Springboks Lizo Gqoboka and Marcel van der Merwe have been named on a bench which could provide debuts for lock Divan Venter, scrumhalf Keagan Johannes and wing Kabelo Mokoena.

Bulls –  15 Clinton Swart, 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Marnus Potgieter, 12 Dawid Kellerman, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Tim Agaba, 7 Arno Botha (c), 6 WJ Steenkamp, 5 Janko Swanepoel, 4 Jan Uys, 3 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 2 Joe van Zyl, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Subs: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Divan Venter, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Kabelo Mokoena, 23 Jay-Cee Nel.

Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images