Cape Town - Brumbies head coach Dan McKellar has made two changes to his starting line-up for their Super Rugby clash with the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.
Blake Enever and Lachlan McCaffrey are recalled to the starting line-up in the absence of the suspended Rory Arnold and injured Rob Valetini.
Enever will partner co-captain Sam Carter in the lock position for the first time this season, with the only previous time the pair have been selected in the same starting XV coming when Enever started in the back-row in the Round 11 match with the Crusaders in Canberra.
McCaffrey meanwhile slots back into the blindside role having been named as a replacement in the defeat to the Lions last weekend. The physical ball-carrier will be joined in the back-row by David Pocock and Isi Naisarani.
The rest of the starting team is the same that played in Johannesburg with the front-row of Scott Sio, Folau Fainga'a and Allan Alaalatoa packing down together for the eighth match in succession, bringing a forceful and formidable look to the engine room of the scrum.
Behind the pack, the backs will be looking to replicate the attacking flair and fearless attitude shown against the Lions, with the Brumbies very much in the match until a brace of cards late on left them with a mountain to climb to contain the rampant home side.
Joe Powell and Christian Lealiifano will be the halfback pairing for the fifth time this season, although prior to the Lions match the duo hadn't formed the axis since the Round 4 clash with the Rebels in Melbourne.
Kyle Godwin remains at centre alongside Brumbies newest centurion Tevita Kuridrani, the Wallaby international celebrating his 100th cap with a try in Johannesburg. Out wide Andy Muirhead, Henry Speight and two-try Tom Banks will be looking to cause more carnage having been afforded the licence to run last time out.
There are three new faces on the bench with hooker Connal McInerney, flown in during the week after Robbie Abel suffered a calf strain, joined amongst the finishers by lock Richie Arnold and flyhalf Wharenui Hawera.
Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin reverts to his normal role of prop, after his three-minute spell at hooker at the tail-end of the match against the Lions with fellow front-rower Nick Mayhew and flanker Tom Cusack the other forward options as McKellar reverts to a bench consisting of five forwards and three backs.
The back replacements are scrumhalf Matt Lucas, Hawera and the versatile Andrew Smith who will be hoping to earn his 72nd Super Rugby cap should he be called upon to enter the fray.
Kick-off is at 15:05.
Teams:
Bulls
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Odendaal, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Johnny Kotze, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Nic de Jager, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 RG Snyman, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Trevor Nyakane
Substitutes: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Mox Mxoli, 18 Matthys Basson, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Andre Warner, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Divan Rossouw
Brumbies
15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Andrew Muirhead, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 David Pocock, 6 Lachlan McCaffrey, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Blake Enever, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 Scott Sio
Substitutes: 16 Connal McInerney, 17 Nick Mayhew, 18 Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, 19 Richie Arnold, 20 Tom Cusack, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 Wharenui Hawera, 23 Andrew Smith
