Bulls stick largely with same Lion tamers for return URC clash

The Bulls have opted for continuity, making only one change to the starting XV that will take on the Lions in a United Rugby Championship match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Scrumhalf Zak Burger will make a return to the starting team this week as the only change, where he will replace Embrose Papier in a rotational change that sees the latter starting the match off the bench.

Cornal Hendricks, who was on Currie Cup duty earlier in the week, has also been added to the replacements as backline cover, and he will be the only new face to the bench that was at Emirates Airline Park last weekend.

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“The result from last weekend when we beat the Lions at Emirates Airline Park will mean nothing. It’s now a new week and they will come to Loftus Versfeld a hungry side and will want to make amends for the defeat last Saturday,” said Bulls director of rugby, Jake White.

“We expect nothing less than another challenging encounter against the side from Johannesburg. They showed how strong they can be in the set pieces last week, while also coming at us with some clever, running rugby. We can definitely expect more of the same this weekend.”

The match kicks off at 3pm.

Bulls: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Madosh Tambwe, Morné Steyn, Zak Burger, Elrigh Louw, Arno Botha, Marcell Coetzee (capt), Ruan Nortje, Walt Steenkamp, Jacques van Rooyen, Johan Grobbelaar, Simphiwe Matanzima. Bench: Bismarck du Plessis, Lizo Gqoboka, Robert Hunt, Janko Swanepoel, Muller Uys, Embrose Papier, Chris Smith, Cornal Hendricks (Northam)