Vodacom Bulls team to face Cell C Sharks in Polkwane
Vodacom Bulls coach, John Mitchell, named an exciting 26 man squad for the trip to Polokwane, but has not included Lood de Jager, Jesse Kriel, Handre Pollard or Warrick Gelant, who all toured with the Springboks to Europe in November.
There will also be a return to action for former Springbok captain, Adriaan Strauss. The hooker made a successful comeback to rugby for the Barbarians in November last year after a lay-off following the 2017 Vodacom Super Rugby season.
The match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium kicks off at 18h00 on Saturday.
The squad for Polokwane is: Divan Rossouw, Travis Ismaiel, Johnny Kotze, Burger Odendaal (c), Jade Stighling, Manie Libbok, Embrose Papier, Hanro Liebenberg, Thembelani Bholi, Marco van Staden, Aston Fortuin, Ruben van Heerden, Frans van Wyk, Adriaan Strauss, Lizo Gqoboka. Replacements: Jaco Visagie, Pierre Schoeman, Conraad van Vuuren, Eli Snyman, Jano Venter, Roelof Smit, Andre Warner, Marnitz Boshoff, Franco Naude, Jamba Ulengo, Duncan Matthews.
Vodacom Blue Bulls Team to Face Emirates Lions
Boom Prinsloo will lead the Vodacom Blue Bulls team that will travel to Johannesburg to face the Emirates Lions in a warm-up match at Emirates Airline Park that kicks-off at 15h00.
Coach David Manual included a number of players with Vodacom Super Rugby experience in the squad, including the likes of Ulrich Beyers, Dries Swanepoel, Abongile Nonkontwana and Edgar Marutlulle, but will also give playing opportunities to a number of exciting youngsters that excelled in the Vodacom Blue Bulls age group teams last year.
The squad to travel to Johannesburg is: Ulrich Beyers, Irvin Ali, Dries Swanepoel, Heino Bezuidenhout, Andell Loubser, Tony Jantjies, Ginter Smuts, Boom Prinsloo (c), Rickert Korff, Shaun Adendorff, Abongile Nonkontwana, Ewan Coetzee, Matthys Basson, Edgar Marutlulle, Dewald Maritz. Replacements: Nqoba Mxoli, John-Roy Jenkinson, Simphiwe Matanzima, Thomas Meyer, Pieter Diergaardt, Adre Smit, Oderich Mouton, Vaughen Isaacs, Lian du Toit, Garrick Matthews, Jerome Bossr, Christiaan Strydom, Earll Douwrie, Gareth Heidtmann.