There are just three changes in pack, with rising star Cameron Hanekom to be used as an impact player this week.
Experienced former Springbok flanker and Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee has been included in the Pretoria-based team’s starting XV for their United Rugby Championship match against Ospreys in Swansea on Saturday. The match kicks off at 8.35pm SA time.
Coetzee,33, who’s played 31 Tests for the Boks, takes the place in the Bulls starting team of another Bok, Marco van Staden, who hasn’t toured with the side to Europe as he has been asked to rest following the Rugby Championship.
Bulls boss Jake White has made two other changes to his pack from the side that beat Ulster last weekend.
Ruan Vermaak returns at lock in place of Cobus Wiese, while Reinhard Ludwig comes into the team for Cameron Hanekom who’ll play off the bench this weekend.
The backline that played last week is unchanged, which means Boeta Chamberlain will continue at flyhalf, while the centre pairing of David Kriel and Canan Moodie gets another opportunity to show what they can do as a combination.
The Bulls, who lost in last season’s final to Glasgow at home at Loftus, go into this weekend’s match on the back of two good wins, against Edinburgh and Ulster.
Bulls: Willie le Roux, Sebastian de Klerk, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Boeta Chamberlain, Embrose Papier, Elrigh Louw, Reinhard Ludwig, Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Nortje (capt), Ruan Vermaak, Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp. Bench: Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni, Francois Klopper, Cobus Wiese, Cameron Hanekom, Keagan Johannes, Stedman Gans, Aphiwe Dyantyi
