Johannesburg - Bulls coach Jake White has affected several changes to the side that will face the Emirates Lions this weekend at Emirates Airline Park.
The majority of changes reintroduce what would be considered the Bulls strongest and most experienced players, while a handful of selections are due to injury concerns. Jacques van Rooyen, a loosehead by trade, will start the clash against the Lions at tighthead due to the injury of Mornay Smith, and will be joined by prop partner Simphiwe Matazima, who replaces Gerhard Steenekamp in the matchday squad.
White has also reshuffled his loose-forwards. Although both Elrigh Louw and Arno Botha remain in the starting XV, they are now joined by the powerful and no nonsense Marcell Coetzee, who will pack down in the No 6 jersey. Botha, meanwhile, moves to the otherside of the scrum at blindside.
In the backline, Chris Smith has been dropped to the bench as former Springbok flyhalf and veteran Morne Steyn steps in to take up the mantle of responsibility at flyhalf. A new midfield, in terms of this match but certainly not in terms of combination, will appear on his outside with former Lions teammates Harold Vorster and Lionel Mapoe renewing their partnership.
Kurt-Lee Arendse, meanwhile, moves to full-back, which sees David Kriel drop onto the bench. Arendse last week played on the left-wing in the defeat to the Stormers, and that position sees Madosh Tambwe move from the other side of the field into the No 11 jumper. Baby Bok Canan Moodie gets the nod to start on the right wing.
Meanwhile, Robert Hunt, along with Lizo Gqoboka, will cover the front-row later in the game.
Kick-off for the match is 3pm.
Bulls Starting XV: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Jacques van Rooyen, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima; Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Muller Uys, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Dan Kriel