Mitchell is still busy with trials, several top players will not play against Stormers
A few players who were not part of the initial Super Rugby group, were again included in the Bulls team to play this weekend in a warm-up match against the Stormers.
Springboks RG Snyman and Roelof Smit will both start for the Bulls on Saturday in Wellington when they face the Stormers in a Super Rugby friendly.
However, the Springboks touring Europe last year as well as several other top players returning from Japan will still not be part of the action.
Snyman has returned from his club duties in Japan recently and Smit, who proved his fitness off the bench last weekend against the Sharks in Polokwane after an injury lay-off, will both be keen to make an early statement to Bulls coach, John Mitchell.
The duo represented the Springboks against the British Barbarians in 2016 in a match played in London and both could play significant roles in the Bulls pack as Mitchell moulds his squad for the forthcoming Super Rugby tournament.
The coach made a number of rotational changes to the side that played the Sharks in Polokwane last weekend, with the halfback pairing of Andre Warner and Marnitz Boshoff starting and Embrose Papier and Manie Libbok reverting to the bench.
Only Divan Rossouw (fullback), the midfield pairing of Burger Odendaal and Johnny Kotze, Hanro Liebenberg (loose forward) and lock Ruben van Heerden has been retained from the starting team, with a host of players who came off the bench in Polokwane now getting a run-on opportunity in the Wellington clash.
“A number of players who did not start last weekend get a change to do so this week and will get some valuable game time under the belt,” Mitchell explained.
“We are still building towards the start of the competition and our performance will be work in progress towards that. We know we are playing against a very capable side, but that is the whole purpose of matches like these. There is nothing on offer, but so much to learn for both sides,” the coach concluded.
Kick-off in Wellington is at 16:00 on Saturday.
The team is: Divan Rossouw, Andell Loubser, Johnny Kotze, Burger Odendaal (c), Duncan Matthews, Marnitz Boshoff, Andre Warner, Jano Venter, Hanro Liebenberg (v/c), Roelof Smit, RG Snyman, Ruben van Heerden, Conraad van Vuuren, Jaco Visagie, Pierre Schoeman. Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Lizo Gqoboka, Frans van Wyk, Lood de Jager, Marco van Staden, Thembelani Bholi, Embrose Papier, Manie Libbok, JT Jackson, Dries Swanepoel, Jade Stighling, Franco Naude.
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