It’s the Jesse and Pollie show in Buenos Aires

Outside centre Jesse Kriel will now have ace flyhalf Handre Pollard for company in midfield, while moving their in-form tighthead prop, Trevor Nyakane, to loosehead is the other surprise as the Bulls announced their team to play against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

Both changes are injury-enforced, with Pollard moving to inside centre and taking over the captaincy from Burger Odendaal, who did not fly to Argentina on Wednesday due to a rib niggle.

The explosive Lizo Gqoboka has been ruled out of the rest of the Super Rugby season due to a torn tendon in his big toe and, with Pierre Schoeman also still suspended, it has led to a mini-crisis in terms of who will wear the number one jersey for the Bulls.

Coach John Mitchell has decided to shift Nyakane from tighthead back to loosehead, where he started his career.

But with the 29-year-old Springbok doing such a great job in the crucial position that is considered the anchor of the scrum, shifting him to loosehead must be considered a risk, especially since his replacement in the number three jersey, the young Conraad van Vuuren, under-performed against the powerful Stormers pack in his last start.

But Kriel, who has also been one of the Bulls’ star players this season, is looking forward to partnering with the talented Pollard in midfield, while young Manie Libbok will start at flyhalf.

“Like we’ve seen with England, a flyhalf can easily move into inside centre and Handre is very big and physical, very good on defence and we all know what he brings to the attack. So I’m very excited about playing next to him. Of course we will miss Burger’s leadership, but guys like Handre and Adriaan Strauss can step up to fill the gap.

“In our training, we have to fill all kinds of positions and you can find yourself at flyhalf, first, second or third receiver and you have to be comfortable in all those roles, it’s just the way our training is set up. We’ve been a lot more comfortable moving the ball across the field this year and that’s a direct transfer from the training field,” Kriel said.

The other important change to the Bulls’ starting line-up sees Jason Jenkins return to the second row to replace the injured Lood de Jager, who has also been ruled for the rest of the season. Thembelani Bholi comes in as the starting blindside flank.

Prop Mox Mxoli, lock Hendre Stassen and centre JT Jackson are the new faces on the bench.

Bulls team: Warrick Gelant, Travis Ismaiel, Jesse Kriel, Handre Pollard, Johnny Kotze, Manie Libbok, Ivan van Zyl, Marco van Staden, Thembelani Bholi, Roelof Smit, RG Snyman, Jason Jenkins, Conraad van Vuuren, Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane. Bench: Jaco Visagie, Mox Mxoli, Frans van Wyk, Hendre Stassen, Nic de Jager, Andre Warner, JT Jackson, Divan Rossouw.

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