Vermeulen returns as Bulls look to maul Stormers

Will the Stormers be able to answer all the questions the Bulls are set to throw at them at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday?

In another chapter of the traditional north-south derby, the two teams clash in round two of the Rainbow Cup SA, with the Capetonians the marginal underdogs despite their home-ground status.

With a huge physical confrontation on the menu for the 6.15pm fixture, the announcement of the British and Irish Lions tour squad this week will raise the bar, with several players on display in line for Springbok duty in the series.

Top of the list no doubt include the return of Bulls captain Duane Vermeulen and the continued comeback of Stormers flank Pieter-Steph du Toit.

Pieter-Steph du Toit during a Stormers training session. Picture: Gallo Images

Vermeulen has been out with a knee injury since the Currie Cup final, while Du Toit enjoyed his first game back last week after a year-long absence from the game due to a leg injury.

Bulls director of rugby Jake White expressed his delight with the return of Vermeulen, who together with the inclusion of veteran Bok flyhalf Morne Steyn will play a major in the Bulls’ plans.

Known to suffocate teams on defence, and with inclement weather on the cards, Steyn is expected to keep the Stormers pinned back with his tactical kicking.

The inclusion of lock and lineout maestro Walt Steenkamp could also be an indication that the Bulls intend to maul the Stormers into submission in the wet weather.

The Bulls enjoyed a winning start last week, but their stuttering 22-9 win over the Lions didn’t go down well with White.

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The Stormers started out with a defeat to the Sharks, while they also faced a disrupted week marred by injury setbacks and red card hearings.

After losing flyhalf Kade Wolhuter for the season, they will also be without scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies and lock JD Schickerling, while they released centre Ruhan Nel to the SA Sevens side.

Wing Seabelo Senatla had been banned for four weeks and is replaced by Sergeal Petersen, but No 8 Willie Engelbrecht is back on the bench after it was ruled that his second yellow card last week was unlawful.

The hosts have also lost their talented openside flank Nama Xaba for six weeks to an ankle injury, but his replacement Marcel Theunissen is as competent and will be expected to keep Bulls star Marco van Staden at bay.

The Stormers’ biggest threat is their all-out Bok front-row of captain Steven Kitshoff, hooker Bongi Mbonambi and tighthead Frans Malherbe.

But while it’s a big weapon to have, the Bulls have shown the scrums are not the be-all and end-all and will be keen to at least create parity.