Dylan Sage of the Vodacom Bulls in action during the during the Super Rugby, #SuperHeroSunday match between DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls at Cape Town Stadium on February 03, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)
Bulls coach Pote Human brought in the pacy Dylan Sage at inside centre for the injured Burger Odendaal in one of two enforced changes to their starting line-up for their Super Rugby derby against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The other change to the side that lost to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires last weekend sees Eli Snyman, who Human admitted is fast becoming a favourite of his, replacing Lood de Jager at lock.
The Bulls captain, who is fast becoming a favourite at Loftus Versfeld with his barnstorming displays, should recover in two weeks from the shoulder injury that forced him to leave the field in Argentina.
Odendaal is in many ways a typical Bulls No 12 – physical and aggressive in his ball-carrying and defence – but he tweaked his shoulder in training and so the Bulls will go into their match against the three-time Super Rugby finalists with a former Springbok Sevens star, who has the pace to play on the wing, at inside centre.
“We will miss Burger’s physicality but Dylan played very well in our warm-up games and he’s a workhorse. Eli will come in and call the lineouts, I’ve known him for so long he’s like my son, he’s still a youngster but Lood also rates him highly,” Human said at Loftus Versfeld.
The injuries to De Jager and Odendaal have also meant two changes to the bench, with Jannes Kirsten set to feature for the first time in this year’s competition as second-row cover, and Divan Rossouw taking the replacements spot vacated by Sage.
Human also made an unenforced change, with another former Blitzboks Olympian, Tim Agaba, replacing hard man Thembelani Bholi.
Flyhalf Handre Pollard will take over the captaincy of the side from De Jager, with No 8 Duane Vermeulen the vice-captain.
“You could see from the body language of the guys that they were all very disappointed with what happened in Argentina, but we have good leaders in the side who have brought the team together for what will be a typical derby against probably the best side in South Africa,” Human said.
Bulls: Warrick Gelant, Cornal Hendricks, Jesse Kriel, Dylan Sage, Rosko Specman, Handre Pollard, Embrose Papier, Duane Vermeulen, Hanro Liebenberg, Ruan Steenkamp, Eli Snyman, Jason Jenkins, Trevor Nyakane, Schalk Brits, Lizo Gqoboka. Bench: Corniel Els, Simphiwe Matanzima, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Jannes Kirsten, Tim Agaba, Ivan van Zyl, Manie Libbok, Divan Rossouw.
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