By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Suresh Rajcoomar/Fullview.
Marcell Coetzee returns from injury to lead the Vodacom Bulls in their United Rugby Championship (URC) match-up with Irish side Ulster at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has made wholesale changes to his starting pack from the one that won the Champions Cup tie against Stade Francais last weekend.
The front row sees a complete overhaul from last week’s win, with Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Francois Klopper all promoted from the bench to start, while Alu Tshakweni, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Khutha Mchunu make way. Steenekamp and Grobbelaar slot in at loosehead and hooker respectively, with Klopper taking over at tighthead.
The second row also looks markedly different, with Ruan Vermaak and Reinhardt Ludwig handed starts in place of Cobus Wiese and JF van Heerden, neither of whom feature in the match-day 23 this week.
Loose forward changes are just as significant. Hanro Liebenberg comes in at openside flank, while Marco van Staden, who started at six against Stade Français, drops to the bench. Coetzee moves into the six jersey and assumes leadership duties, with Louw’s shift to the back of the scrum pushing Cameron Hanekom, last week’s starting number eight, into a reserve role.
The halfback and backline combinations remain untouched from last week’s 56-20 victory. Paul de Wet continues at scrumhalf alongside Handre Pollard at flyhalf, while the midfield pairing of Harold Vorster and Sango Xamlashe, and the back three of Cheswill Jooste, Sebastian de Klerk and Luan Giliomee, are all retained.
On the bench, Zak Burger, Curwin Bosch and Dylan Maart all come into the 23 for the first time this week, with Bosch providing cover at flyhalf and utility back and Maart adding further options among the backs. Embrose Papier, Stravino Jacobs, Willie le Roux and Jaco Grobbelaar drop out of the match-day squad entirely.
The scale of the rotation, eight changes to the starting pack alone, reflects the demands of a season being fought on two fronts, with the Bulls balancing Investec Champions Cup and Vodacom URC commitments across a busy early-season schedule.
Bulls XV.
Luan Giliomee, Sebastian de Klerk, Sango Xamlashe, Harold Vorster, Cheswill Jooste, Handre Pollard, Paul de Wet, Elrigh Louw, Hanro Liebenberg, Marcell Coetzee (c), Reinhardt Ludwig, Ruan Vermaak, Francois Klopper, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp
Bench: Marco van Staden, Alu Tshakweni, Khutha Mchunu, Cobus Wiese, Cameron Hanekom, Zak Burger, Curwin Bosch, Dylan Maart.