The Bulls will face Irish team Ulster in Belfast on Saturday with ten Springboks in their 23-man squad, after Johan Ackerman included five returning Boks, all of whom were in action in the Green and Gold this year, in his squad for their first match on their tour of Ireland and Scotland.

This is part of a total of eleven changes to the team that faced Leinster at Loftus Versfeld last weekend.

Among the most significant is a start for Handré Pollard, now back in blue after several seasons in Europa. In his previous stint in Pretoria, he played over 70 matches for the Bulls, attaining hero status in the capital.

Seven of the changes are in the starting line-up while there will be four new additions to the bench for the match at the Affidea Stadium in Belfast.

This obvious strengthening of the Bulls ranks is a clear indication that Ackerman and his team will likely target their two matches in Ireland – Saturday against Ulster and the following week against Connacht in Galway in the west of the country – to collect as many league points as possible on the tour.

Kick-off time for Saturday’s match against Ulster is 20:45.

1. Gerhard Steenekamp, 2. Johann Grobbelaar (captain), 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Cobus Wiese, 5. Nicolaas Janse v Rensburg, 6. Marco van Staden, 7. Mpilo Gumede, 8. Jeandré Rudolph, 9. Zak Burger, 10. Handré Pollard, 11. Stravino Jacobs, 12. Harold Vorster, 13. Canan Moodie, 14. Sebastian de Klerk and 15. Devon Williams Replacements: 16. Juann Else, 17. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Reinhardt Ludwig, 20. Nama Xaba, 21. Paul de Wet, 22. David Kriel and 23. Willie le Roux.

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