Willie le Roux is among the star players returning to the Vodacom Bulls’ starting lineup for the final-round Champions Cup clash with Bordeaux in Pretoria on Saturday.
Jake White has made a handful of changes to the Vodacom Bulls’ matchday squad, with Le Roux recalled after being rested for the third-round match in Bristol.
However, fellow Springboks Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie are both sitting out Saturday’s match with the pool leaders at Loftus Versfeld, while tighthead prop Wilco Louw misses out due to injury.
Mornay Smith takes over from Louw in the scrum, in one of three changes to the pack. Ruan Nortje starts after making his return from injury as a substitute last weekend, while Cameron Hanekom is back in the No 8 jersey, with Mpilo Gumede shifting to blindside flank and Elrigh Louw rotated onto the bench.
Le Roux’s return at fullback is one of just a couple of changes to the backline, with Devon Williams shifting to the wing and Sergeal Petersen dropping out of the matchday-23 entirely.
The only other change among the backs sees Stedman Gans back at outside centre, in place of Harold Vorster, with David Kriel shifting back to inside centre.
There are a few more alterations on the bench, as Akker van der Merwe will lend his experience in the second half, while young lock JF van Heerden, and backline veterans Jaco van der Walt and Cornal Hendriks are back after sitting out last week.
Photo: BackpagePix/Samuel Shivambu