White makes changes as Bulls gear up for Connacht clash

Springbok Ruan Combrinck will make his first start for the Bulls on Friday, with director of rugby Jake White making a handful of changes for their second United Rugby Championship match against Irish team Connacht in Galway.

Combrinck, who played off the bench during the recent Currie Cup, will turn out at fullback alongside another new starter, Stravino Jacobs, who will don the No 11 jersey.

The Bulls pack will also buckle down with a new-look front row as loosehead prop Lizo Gqoboka, hooker Joe van Zyl and tighthead prop Jacques van Rooyen join the starting XV.

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“We have another tough encounter ahead of us. To face two top Irish sides back-to-back is no easy challenge,” White said after their loss to Leinster last week.

“Connacht is a strong, well-coached side and they will be looking to bounce back from their defeat to Cardiff in the opening round.

“We have also put the defeat to Leinster behind us, and we look forward to testing ourselves again this week against another quality outfit.”

The match between the Bulls and Connacht kicks off at 8.35pm.

Bulls

Ruan Combrinck, Cornal Hendricks, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs, Johan Goosen, Zak Burger, Lizo Gqoboka, Joe van Zyl, Jacques van Rooyen, Walt Steenkamp, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee (capt), Arno Botha, Elrigh Louw

Bench: Bismarck du Plessis, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Janko Swanepoel, Jacques du Plessis, Embrose Papier, Chris Smith, Stedman Gans