White makes several changes to Bulls team for Benetton battle

Eight Springboks in the starting team and another one on the bench … that’s what Bulls boss Jake White is backing to get the result when his team take on Italian side Benetton in a United Rugby Championship match in Treviso on Friday night.

It is the Bulls’ third and final match of their European tour, a trip that has got them one win and a defeat, last week to the Scarlets.

White and Co will be desperate to pick up another victory before the competition breaks for a month for the northern hemisphere internationals. As things stand, the Bulls are fourth on the log, with three wins from four overall, but hot on their heels are seven other teams, who’re no more than four points adrift.

Several key changes

White has backed several of his Springbok stars for this match in Italy, with Aphiwe Dyantyi getting a start on the wing, Embrose Papier returning to scrumhalf, Elrigh Louw coming back at No 8 and captaining the side and Marcell Coetzee taking over the No 6 jersey.

David Kriel is also back in the side after skipping last week’s match, but Ruan Nortje and Gerhard Steenekamp will again sit this match out.

Johan Grobbelaar, whose red card was overturned after last week’s match, will play hooker.

There is also a surprise at fullback, with Devon Williams getting a start, and taking over from Henry Immelman who featured at 15 last weekend. Veteran Willie le Roux, who started the first match on tour, isn’t even in the matchday-23.

In total, there are nine changes to the starting team that featured last weekend in Wales.

Bulls: Devon Williams, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Boeta Chamberlain, Embrose Papier, Elrigh Louw (capt), Reinhardt Ludwig, Marcell Coetzee, JF van Heerden, Cobus Wiese, Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, Alulutho Tshwakweni. Bench: Akker van der Merwe, Dylan Smith, Francois Klopper, Ruan Vermaak, Cameron Hanekom, Keagan Johannes, Stedman Gans, Sebastian de Klerk.