Bulls ring changes as veteran Steyn returns for Cheetahs clash

The Bulls have made several changes to their team to face the Cheetahs in a Currie Cup clash on Saturday.

While most of these changes are in the backline, Bulls director of rugby Jake White has shuffled his pack as well.

Flyhalf Morne Steyn returns to the starting line-up where he will play with Embrose Papier in a new half-back pairing.

Kurt-Lee Arendse and David Kriel switch to fullback and right wing respectively with Marco Jansen van Vuren earning his first start on the left wing.

At lock, Sintu Manjezi gets a start while the front row sees props Marcel van der Merwe and Gerhard Steenekamp getting the nod in the run-on XV.

The bench includes Jan-Hendrik Wessels who will make his Bulls and Carling Currie Cup debut as a replacement prop while Trevor Nyakane and Ruan Nortje will provide cover at prop and lock respectively.

Marnus Potgieter is also set for his competition and team debut, as he rounds out the backline replacements alongside Ivan van Zyl and Chris Smith.

"The Cheetahs are the only team to have beaten us in the last round, so we are truly looking forward to this one. I’m also excited about the changes we have made to our team, and I’m keen to see our new combinations," said White.

The match kicks off at 16:30.

Teams

Bulls

15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 David Kriel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.

Replacements: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marnus Potgieter.

Cheetahs

15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Rhyno Smith, 13 Howard Mnisi, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Victor Sekekete, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Carl Wegner (captain), 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Boan Venter

Substitutes: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Erich de Jager, 19 Chris Massyn, 20 George Cronje, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Reinhardt Fortuin, 23 William Small-Smith