Elrigh Louw and Marco van Staden both return to the starting lineup as the Vodacom Bulls named a heavily changed team to face the Lions in Pretoria on Saturday.
Jake White has made nine changes to the Vodacom Bulls’ starting lineup for the Vodacom URC derby, with Ruan Nortje leading the team as Marcell Coetzee has dropped to the bench.
Six of those changes come in the pack, where loose forwards Louw and Van Staden start in the back row alongside Mpilo Gumede, who shifts to No 8.
Loosehead prop Simphiwe Matanzima and hooker Akker van der Merwe start after playing off the bench in last weekend’s Champions Cup win against Bordeaux, while Deon Slabbert partners Nortje in the second row.
Sergeal Petersen is recalled to start on the left wing in place of Devon Williams, while Harold Vorster returns to the No 12 jersey, causing David Kriel to shift across to outside centre in the backline changes.
Fit-again hooker Johan Grobbelaar could make his first appearance since November after being named on a bench that features a six-two split between forwards and backs.
Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix