Confirmed: White picks second-string Bulls for clash against Northampton Saints

Bulls boss Jake White is either very confident his second-stringers have what it takes to beat one of England’s top teams, Northampton Saints, in the Champions Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, or he isn’t too concerned about his team winning or losing.

That much can be deduced from the side White has picked for the match at Franklin’s Gardens at 9pm Saturday.

No World Cup Boks

While the Bulls side includes two Springboks in the starting team in captain Nizaam Carr and hooker Akker van der Merwe, no recent Bok stars who featured at the Rugby World Cup are in the team.

In fact, several first-choice players stayed at home to rest and prepare for upcoming United Rugby Championship matches against Munster and Ospreys, according to some reports.

The Saints will thus start as heavy favourites against a Bulls side that is third on the URC points table and in good form, but now minus the likes of Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Marco van Staden, Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Nortje, Johan Grobbelaar and Gerhard Steenekamp.

The Saints have in their ranks among others England stars Alex Mitchell, Courtney Lawes and Lewis Ludlum.

Former Stormers loose forward Juarno Augustus will wear the No 8 jersey for Saints.

Bulls: Devon Williams, Sebastian de Klerk, Henry Immelman, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs, Chris Smith, Zak Burger, Cameron Hanekom, Mpilo Gumede, Nizaam Carr (capt), JF van Heerden, Janko Swanepoel, Mornay Smith, Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima. Bench: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Dylan Smith, Francois Klopper, Merwe Olivier, Reinhardt Ludwig, Keagan Johannes, Jaco van der Walt, Cornal Hendricks