Bulls wheel out the heavy artillery for forward onslaught on Stormers in URC clash at Loftus

Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has brought his heavy hitters back into the starting line-up to set the tone early against the Stormers in the eagerly awaited SA derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (2pm kick-off).

Moving into the starting 15 for the United Rugby Championship clash are Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, and Wilco Louw, with Alulutho Tshakweni, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, and Mornay Smith — who all started against the Sharks two weeks ago — dropping to the replacements bench to provide second-half impact.

With Ruan Vermaak and Ruan Nortje in the second row, that is a fearsome tight five, and it is clear where the Bulls aim to get an early and sustained advantage, considering their back-up on the bench. Ackermann has opted for six forwards on the bench, and four of them are Springboks.

In the loose forwards, there is a strategic rotation at No 8, with in-form man Jeandre Rudolph earning a start, moving up from the bench. Captain Marcell Coetzee and the powerhouse Elrigh Louw remain settled in their starting roles.

The Bulls, however, have opted for total continuity in the backline. There are no changes to the starting back seven. The silky half-back pairing of Embrose Papier and Handre Pollard remains intact, while the dangerous back three of Kurt-Lee Arendse, Sebastian de Klerk, and David Kriel will once again lead the attack.

f that back three gets plenty of front-foot ball from their powerful pack, the Stormers’ defence will be severely tested.

Significantly, Cobus Wiese and Marco van Staden — the latter poised to make his 100th first-class appearance for the Bulls — provide grunt among the forwards on the bench. Paul de Wet and Willie le Roux are retained as the specialist backline cover to provide cool heads in the closing stages.

Still on the injured list and not considered for selection are: Sintu Manjezi, Stravino Jacobs, Cameron Hanekom, Akker van der Merwe, Nama Xaba, and Jannes Kirsten.

Bulls team for Stormers

15 David Kriel, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (capt), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.

Bench: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Willie le Roux.