Sbu Nkosi has been named to start in a near full strength Vodacom Bulls lineup for the Currie Cup clash with defending champions Pumas on Sunday, despite being called into a Springbok alignment camp in Cape Town over the weekend.
Nkosi will wear the No 11 jersey as the Vodacom Bulls have named a backline for their Currie Cup opener in Pretoria that is nearly identical to the one that faced the Lions in a Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby last weekend.
However, the winger will also be among the eight players involved in the Springbok alignment camp held in Cape Town over Saturday and Sunday.
Despite this, newly-appointed Currie Cup coach Edgar Marutlulle was bullish over Nkosi’s availability for his side’s opening clash in the tournament.
“He will definitely play,” Marutlulle told the media after announcing the team on Friday.
“That information [that Nkosi was called into the camp] was not always privy to us. Sbu has not played a lot recently, with the off field situation that he has gone through, so it will be good to give him game time and make sure he is best prepared for the URC game against Ulster that is coming up.”
Morne Steyn will captain a Vodacom Bulls side that features just two changes in the backline from the side that lost to the Lions, with rookie scrumhalf Bernard van der Linde and veteran midfielder Lionel Mapoe called up.
There are more changes in the pack, featuring a new-look back row, while lock Ruan Vermaak and hooker Jan-Hendrick Wessels have also been given starting opportunities.
“The URC is on a break and some of our players have gone to the Springbok alignment camp,” Marutlulle explained. “This has given us a good opportunity to keep our URC players sharp. It won’t help us sending our young players to the wolves. There is a balance between experience and opportunity.”
Bulls – 15 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Sibongile Novuka, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 David Kriel, 11 Sbu Nkosi, 10 Morne Steyn (c), 9 Bernard van der Linde, 8 Mihlali Mosi, 7 Reinhardt Ludwig, 6 Phumzile Maqondwana, 5 Ruan Vermaak, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Jan-Hendrick Wessels, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Subs: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Cornal Hendricks.
Photo: Christiaan Kotze/BackpagePix