Bulls head coach, Nollis Marais, has selected a squad for their Australian tour that is the perfect blend of youth and experience.

The majority of the squad has already seen action in this year’s Super Rugby competition with Hanro Liebenberg and Dries Swanepoel returning from Currie Cup and Varsity Cup duty respectively.

The players are hungry to continue their winning ways this year and will be eager to return to South Africa with vital away log points.

“Touring is never easy, and for many in the squad it will be a first Super Rugby tour to Australia. It’s important for us not to focus on the travel but rather the task at hand, and that’s to pick up points abroad. We’ll be looking to continue the momentum we have managed to build over the last few weeks, and we also know that we owe our supporters a good showing while on tour,” said Marais at the announcement of the team.

The Bulls will enjoy a buy this weekend and they will play three matches Down Under against the Western Force (29 April), Brumbies (6 May) and the Waratahs (14 May) before returning to Loftus Versfeld to face the Stormers on 21 May.

The Bulls touring squad are:

Forwards: Trevor Nyakane, Lizo Gqoboka, Pierre Schoeman, Marcel van der Merwe, Werner Kruger, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Bandise Maku, Jaco Visagie, Jason Jenkins, Marvin Orie, RG Snyman, Lappies Labaschagne, Jannes Kirsten, Arno Botha, Roelof Smit and Hanro Liebenberg.

Backs: Piet van Zyl, Rudi Paige, Francois Brummer, Tian Schoeman, Jan Serfontein, Jesse Kriel, Daniel Kriel, Dries Swanepoel, Jamba Ulengo, Travis Ismaiel and SP Marais.