Bulls to unleash Springbok-powered lineup on Stormers
Jake White has selected nine capped Springboks in the Bulls’ starting XV for Saturday’s north-south derby in Cape Town.
Elrigh Louw has been tasked to lead the Test-laden Bulls team in their blue-ribbon fixture against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
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Having taken a heavily-changed side to Lyon in the second round of the Champions Cup, the Vodacom Bulls have reverted back to the team that was last in action in the Vodacom URC in the 44-10 win over the Sharks in Pretoria.
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Springbok loose forward Louw takes the captaincy back from Marcell Coetzee, who has been rested Saturday’s derby after captaining the Bulls against Lyon last weekend.
The Bulls’ starting lineup is exactly the same as the one that claimed all five points against the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld, with Willie le Roux forming an all-Bok back three with Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
Former Stormers tighthead prop Wilco Louw returns to Cape Town, forming the front row with Akker van der Merwe and Gerhard Steenekamp.
The only major changes from that side come on the bench, where young flank Mpilo Gumede is included after an impressive performance in Lyon, while Keagan Johannes and Chris Smith take over from Zak Burger and Jaco van der Walt as the replacement halfbacks.
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BULLS PICK NINE SPRINGBOKS TO FRONT STORMERS
Bulls — 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 David Kriel, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw (c), 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Reinhardt Ludwig, 4 Janko Swanepoel, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Subs: 16 Jan Hendrik Wessels, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Deon Slabbert, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Sebastian de Klerk.
