Captain Louw in 50th URC game, veteran Kirsten back in Light Blue against Ospreys
Jake White has made a few changes – some of which were forced due to injuries and other reasons – to his team that will attempt to get the Bulls' URC campaign back on track on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld.
The former Junior Springbok and veteran of 46 SuperRugby matches for the Bulls, Jannes Kirsten, will finally run out again in a Bulls jersey on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld after an absence of six years.
Kirsten (30) already returned to Pretoria last season, after a season with Toyota Verblitz in Japan and four seasons with Exeter Chiefs in England. However, he suffered a serious foot injury, which basically kept him out of action for an entire year.
Elrigh Louw – who captains the side – will notch up his 50th cap in the United Rugby Championship when the Bulls host the Ospreys in round 15 of the 2023/24 campaign.
Louw shifts to open-side flank with Cameron Hanekom moving to eight-man duties and Nizaam Carr returning to the matchday fold at blind-side flank. In front of the back row will be the lock duo of Ruan Vermaak and Reinhardt Ludwig with an unchanged front row of Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw.
The young lock, JF van Heerden, will miss this match due to national commitments with the Junior Springboks.
Scrum-half, Embrose Papier will combine with Chris Smith (fly half) with Johann Goosen serving a three-week ban. Behind the halfbacks will be Kurt-Lee Arendse at left wing with Harold Vorster (inside) and David Kriel (outside) at centre whilst Canan Moodie shifts to right wing. Willie Le Roux will run out at fullback.
Kirsten, who has been sidelined by injury since signing for the herd, will form part of a 5-3 split impact squad which also has the likes of Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Janko Swanepoel, Zak Burger, Jaco van der Valt and Devon Williams all on standby for duty as the side chases more points in the race to the final eight.
The Ospreys are six points behind their hosts and a win in the highveld would be their second on tour and a major boost to their playoff ambitions. For the South Africans, a victory would help keep fate in their own hands and director of rugby, Jake White said their focus is on exactly that.
“We still have our destiny in our own hands, we still have three games at home until the end of this campaign. Every game has to be like a final in a competition that is as competitive as this league where everyone is still in it with a chance.”
“There are so many permutations that can happen and while we can control winning at Loftus and still have a chance of getting the final game, then we still have our destiny in our own control and that is important,” White concluded.
Kick-off for the game at Loftus Versfeld is set for 15:00 on Saturday.
BULLS vs OSPREYS STARTING XV: 1. Gerhard Steenekamp, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Ruan Vermaak, 5. Reinhardt Ludwig, 6. Nizaam Carr, 7. Elrigh Louw (c), 8. Cameron Hanekom, 9. Embrose Papier, 10. Chris Smith, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 12. Harold Vorster, 13. David Kriel, 14. Canan Moodie, 15. Willie Le Roux. REPLACEMENTS: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Simphiwe Matanzima, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Janko Swanepoel, 20. Jannes Kirsten, 21. Zak Burger, 22. Jaco van der Valt, 23. Devon Williams.
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