The Vodacom Bulls have shuffled their loose trio for Saturday’s Vodacom URC match against the Sharks at Loftus.
Star No 8 Cameron Hanekom, who won the Man of the Match award after the Bulls’ 33-32 win against the Stormers in Cape Town last week, is rested with Nizaam Carr named at the back of the scrum.
Marco van Staden replaces Marcell Coetzee at openside flank, while Reinhardt Ludwig remains at blindside and will lead the team.
“Reinhardt has been captain before, and he will be around for us based on the fact that he can play lock and loose forward,” said coach Jake White. “He knows what we want to get out of tomorrow.”
In the other change to the pack, Ruan Vermaak returns to the second row.
Coach Jake White has stuck with the backline that started against the Stormers, while utility forward Jannes Kirsten, loose forward Mpilo Gumede and wing Aphiwe Dyantyi come onto the bench.
“We have realised that there is wisdom in finishing the game with as much experience as you can, so we will have Springboks come in to finish the game,” said White.
“Also, it will be good to have another group of players get 60-70 minutes of play as we run towards the back end of the competitions.”
The Bulls are currently third on the URC log, five points ahead of the fourth-placed Sharks.
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BULLS – 15 Devon Williams, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Willie le Roux, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Reinhardt Ludwig (c), 6 Marco van Staden, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johann Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Bench: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Aphiwe Dyantyi.
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Photo: Laurent Frezouls/Getty Images
