Bulls ready for Blues test
Pierre Spies and Rudi Paige are back in the starting line-up. Spies was on the bench the last time the Bulls played and has replaced Arno Botha at 8 with the latter moving to blindside flank.
His inclusion is the only change to the pack that held their own against the Lions, while among the backs, a fit-again Rudy Paige comes into scrumhalf in place of the injured Piet van Zyl.
Bulls head coach Frans Ludeke has also made other changes.
Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger will replace Andrew Beerwinkel and Morné Mellett as the replacement front-rankers. In the backline Jacques-Louis Potgieter has recovered from a hamstring strain and replaces Tian Schoeman, while Travis Ismaiel comes in for Jürgen Visser.
The Bulls are currently second in the SA conference and occupy the last play-off spot in the overall Vodacom SupeRugby standings.
Vodacom Blue Bulls Team
15 Jesse Kriel
14 Francois Hougaard
13 JJ Engelbrecht
12 Jan Serfontein
11 Bjorn Basson
10 Handré Pollard
9 Rudy Paige
8 Pierre Spies (c)
7 Arno Botha
6 Lappies Labuschagne
5 Victor Matfield
4 Flip van de Merwe
3 Marcel van der Merwe
2 Adriaan Strauss
1 Trevor Nyakane
Replacements
16 Callie Visagie
17 Dean Greyling
18 Werner Kruger
19 Jacques du Plessis
20 Deon Stegmann
21 Burger Odendaal
22 Jacques-Louis Potgieter
23 Travis Ismaiel
(File Photo: Gallo Images)
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