Cape Town — Johan Goosen will line up at fullback and Sbu Nkosi at wing as Bulls coach Jake White has rolled the dice and made six changes to the starting side for Sunday’s United Rugby Championship clash against the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld (3pm kickoff).
Goosen was left out of the Springbok Test squad announced earlier on Friday, and was picked in the SA A group instead that will face Munster and Bristol on the end-of-year tour.
Now the 30-year-old will have to operate in the No 15 jersey, with his big kicking boot a major factor to try and win territory for the Bulls, who have battled to get out of their own half in recent weeks.
Goosen replaces Kurt-Lee Arendse, who will travel with the Boks to Dublin on Saturday ahead of next weekend’s Test against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.
The other changes in the backline sees the experienced Cornal Hendricks — who was chosen in the SA A squad — at outside centre in place of Stedman Gans, while Nkosi will get some much-needed game time at left wing, having been left out for the last two Bulls matches, ahead of the Bok tour.
Zak Burger has been reinstated at scrumhalf ahead of Embrose Papier, and youngster WJ Steenkamp will start at No 8 following Elrigh Louw’s ankle injury in last week’s 44-22 win over Benetton in Treviso.
The only other new face in the pack is Walt Steenkamp, who is restored to the No 4 jersey, with Janko Swanepoel on the bench.
White has surprisingly left Morné Steyn out of the match 23, despite the ace goal-kicker landing some crucial touchline conversions against Benetton, with Stravino Jacobs and Wandisile Simelane among the backline replacements.
Bulls Team
15 Johan Goosen 14 David Kriel 13 Cornal Hendricks 12 Harold Vorster 11 Sbu Nkosi 10 Chris Smith 9 Zak Burger 8 WJ Steenkamp 7 Marco van Staden 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain) 5 Ruan Nortje 4 Walt Steenkamp 3 Francois Klopper 2 Bismarck du Plessis 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels 17 Simphiwe Matanzima 18 Mornay Smith 19 Janko Swanepoel 20 Ruan Vermaak 21 Embrose Papier 22 Stravino Jacobs 23 Wandisile Simelane.
IOL Sport