Sevens player and Bulls fullback Kurt-Lee Arendse will be in action against Griqua in a Currie Cup game on Saturday. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
The Bulls have loaded their Currie Cup team with several experienced players who were on duty in the United Rugby Championship last weekend for their match against Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday afternoon.
It is a clear sign the Bulls view Griquas as serious opponents and do not want to suffer a shock defeat, something that has happened to several “big teams” in the recent past.
Griquas beat Western Province 22-20 in their last outing at home on February 18, while the Bulls went down 25-38 to the Cheetahs on February 2 – their last bit of action in the Currie Cup.
Some of the players who featured in the match against Zebre in the URC a week ago and who’ll be in action again this Saturday include captain Marcell Coetzee, backs Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cornal Hendricks, Chris Smith and Embrose Papier, and in the forwards Arno Botha, Walt Steenkamp, Bismarck du Plessis and Simphiwe Matanzima.
The five Springbok players in the starting team are Hendricks, Papier, Coetzee, Botha and Du Plessis, with a sixth, Lionel Mapoe, on the bench, and SA Sevens players in the run-on side are Arendse and Stedman Gans.
“Griquas have shown some good form so far this season and everybody knows how tough of an opponent they always are on the domestic scene,” said Bulls coach Gert Smal.
“We, therefore, expect an exceptionally tough match against them, especially at their home ground.
“We will have to be at our best if we want to claim a good result. We have a good blend of experience and exciting youth in our squad, and we hope that our preparations over the past few weeks will come together this weekend.”
Bulls: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Stedman Gans, Cornal Hendricks, Richard Kriel, Chris Smith, Embrose Papier, Muller Uys, Arno Botha, Marcell Coetzee (capt), Janko Swanepoel, Walt Steenkamp, Robert Hunt, Bismarck du Plessis, Simphiwe Matanzima. Bench: Schalk Erasmus, Lizo Gqoboka, Kowie Roos, Reinhardt Ludwig, WJ Steenkamp, Keagan Johannes, Juan Mostert, Lionel Mapoe
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