White picks all four of Bulls’ World Cup winners for Sharks clash

Bulls boss Jake White has picked 10 Springboks in his starting team for the United Rugby Championship clash against the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (3pm).

And all three of his World Cup winning outside backs, Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse will start the match, while flanker Marco van Staden, who also featured in France, will also pack down on the side of the scrum.

White has thus opted to stick with the exciting, and blossoming, midfield pairing of David Kriel and Stedman Gans, while Johan Goosen and Embrose Papier will serve as the halfback pairing.

In the absence of the unavailable Marcell Coetzee and Ruan Nortje, the co-captains, Elrigh Louw will lead the side.

World Cup winners

“We are going to have four World Cup winners running out for us and they (the Sharks) are using their available World Cup winners as well. For the first time, the crowd will get the chance to see World Cup winners on the field and I am hoping that will be a great boost for the fans,” said White.

“It is going to be a tough match. Last year they beat us, so we are not taking anything for granted.

“Both teams will be looking for a win and every team wants to win their home games. Any away game is so difficult to win and we have seen the stats. Especially derbies, they are like double-swingers as well, if you get a win it’s like an eight-point swing because you take points from the game as well as points away from people in your conference.”

Bulls: Willie le Roux, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Stedman Gans, David Kriel, Canan Moodie, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw (capt), Marco van Staden, Reinhardt Ludwig, Janko Swanepoel, Wilco Louw, Akker van der Merwe, Gerhard Steenekamp. Bench: Simphiwe Matanzima, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Mornay Smith, Deon Slabbert, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger, Jaco van der Walt, Sebastian de Klerk