The Bulls are backing their youngsters for one more round, having fielded 21 debutants before URC players fill in next week.
The Bulls have opted for continuity in the sixth round of the Currie Cup, only bringing in their United Rugby Championship coach and players in for the final round next week.
This means the Bulls, who are sixth on the log after just two wins, are backing their less-experienced players – including two more debutants this week – to beat the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday (3pm).
The Bulls need bonus point wins from each of their final two round-robin matches to stand a chance of reaching the play-offs.
Currie Cup coach Phiwe Nomlomo said failing to reach the play-offs for the first time in five years would be a “disaster”.
‘Our squad depth has been beautiful’
Still, after naming his team on Friday, he said the way the Bulls had promoted growth by blooding new players had been “beautiful”.
“We were able to play 21 debutants, including the two boys this weekend. We’ve got 17 juniors we have been able to play and five club players that have been involved in the match day,” Nomlomo said.
“In terms of growing, our squad depth has been beautiful because we have been able to see people that we probably wouldn’t have been able to see at this level. Some of them have come through immaculately.”
The Bulls coach said this was perhaps the first week they have made minimal changes due to injury – having four new inclusions, two positional switches and one player making way.
“[This] is probably good for us from a cohesion perspective,” Nomlomo said. He added that this would be his final week soley in charge, with Johan Ackermann and his assistant coaches returning, with their URC team, next week.
The Lions, meanwhile, have opted to bring in URC head coach Ivan van Rooyen to join Currie Cup coach Mziwakhe Nkosi this week. Springboks Quan Horn (fullback) and Ruan Venter (flank) feature for the first time, as do rising star centre Henco van Wyk and Junior Springbok scrumhalf Haashim Pead, as well as other URC players.
Bulls and Lions teams
Bulls starting XV: Boeta Chamberlain, Cheswill Jooste, Cornel Smit, Chris Barend Smit, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Jaco van der Walt, Zak Burger, JJ Theron, Junior Pokomela, Nama Xaba (captain), Dylan de Leeuw, Sintu Manjezi, Bryan le Roux, Esethu Mnebelele, Simphiwe Matanzima. Bench: Shaun Schurmann, Ruan Swart, Cohen Kievit, Abri van der Westhuizen, Marco Ferreira, Brooklyn Newman, PA van Niekerk, Katlego Letebele.
Lions: Quan Horn, Kelly Mpeku, Henco van Wyk, Richard Kriel, Angelo Davids, Chris Smith, Nico Steyn, WJ Steenkamp, Ruan Venter, Jarod Cairns, Ruan Delport, Dylan Sjoblom, RF Schoeman, PJ Botha, SJ Kotze. Bench: Franco Marais, Juan Schoeman, Sebastian Lombard, Darrien Landsberg, Tian Wessels, Haashim Pead, Sam Francis, Eduan Keyter.
