Johan Goosen has replaced flyhalf Chris Smith in the Vodacom Bulls lineup to face Benetton at Loftus Versfeld in the Vodacom URC on Saturday.
Goosen, who last featured on 20 April against Munster before receiving a three-week suspension for a dangerous tackle, links up with scrumhalf Embrose Papier in the starting XV as the only change to the team that beat the Glasgow Warriors in Pretoria last week, with Smith moving to the replacements bench.
The backline is otherwise unchanged, with Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie retained at left and right wing, respectively, while Harold Vorster and David Kriel line up at centre, with Willie le Roux at fullback.
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In the forwards, Gerhard Steenekamp (loosehead), Akker van der Merwe (hooker) and Wilco Louw (tighthead) are in the front row, as skipper Ruan Nortje and Ruan Vermaak combine at lock. Elrigh Louw starts at blindside flanker in a powerful loose trio with Marco van Staden and Cameron Hanekom.
Johan Grobbelaar, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Reinhardt Ludwig, Nizaam Carr, Keagan Johannes, Sebastian de Klerk and Smith are set to make an impact off the wood.
With two rounds of the regular season remaining in the URC, Jake White’s charges are in fourth place, while Benetton remains in the race to the final eight from the final playoff position.
Bulls – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Subs: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Sebastian de Klerk.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
