Cheswill Jooste was unable to recover from injury in time to face Munster in the URC quarter-final.
Springbok wing Kurt-Lee Arendse returns to the Bulls side this weekend. Picture: Nic Bothma/Sportsfile via Getty Images
The Bulls have named their best available side to face Munster in their United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-final at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (kick-off 1pm).
Kurt-Lee Arendse returns on the wing in place of Devon Williams, while Stravino Jacobs is promoted from the bench to the starting XV ahead of Sergeal Petersen.
In the pack, captain Marcell Coetzee, who is back from illness, comes into the loose trio for Jeandré Rudolph, adding vast play-off and Test experience alongside Cameron Hanekom and Elrigh Louw.
There is also a reshuffle in the second row, with Ruan Vermaak elevated from the bench to partner Ruan Nortjé, who will play his 150th match for the Bulls. Cobus Wiese drops to the impact squad.
Marco van Staden, another Springbok forward with a reputation for high-intensity knockout rugby, moves from the bench into the starting front-row replacement role as part of a six-two split among the substitutes.
Bulls chase fifth semi-final
The Bulls have otherwise retained the spine of the side that defeated Benetton in their last league stage match earlier this month, including the influential halfback pairing of Embrose Papier and Handré Pollard, as well as veteran fullback Willie le Roux, whose game management and attacking vision will be central to the Pretoria side’s ambitions of reaching another semifinal.
All four of the Bulls’ previous quarter-finals were won by the home side on the day, and they are chasing their fourth consecutive semifinal appearance.
If the Bulls win, they will face the victor between Glasgow and Connacht, either at Scotstoun if Glasgow triumph, or at Loftus if Connacht win, in the first semifinal on 6 June.
Munster, meanwhile, arrive with extensive play-off pedigree, having qualified for the URC knockout stages for a 10th successive season. However, the Irish province’s away form has been inconsistent this season, with their only away victory in 2026 coming in a 45-15 triumph over Benetton in April.
Bulls starting XV
Willie le Roux, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs, Handré Pollard, Embrose Papier, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Nortjé, Ruan Vermaak, WIlco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements
Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Francois Klopper, Cobus Wiese, Jeandré Rudolph, Paul de Wet, Stedman Gans, Sergeal Petersen.
