VODACOM BULLS NAME UNCHANGED RUN-ON SIDE FOR JAGUARES CLASH

Vodacom Bulls coach, John Mitchell named an unchanged run-on team to face the Jaguares at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday in what will be the last home match for his team in this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby competition.

The same starting side that lost to a late score against the Sunwolves in Singapore last weekend will thus get a chance to redeem themselves.

Mitchell made some changes to the bench though, with the most prominent the inclusion of Springbok scrumhalf, Ivan van Zyl, in place of Andre Warner.

“We are determined to close out the season at home with a solid performance,” Mitchell said.

“We have grown as a team and our supporters started believing again, and we would like to reward that trust in us. In the end, the season did not quite finish the way we wanted, but I am happy that we took some important steps in the right direction. We will reap the benefits of that in future.”

The team will again be captained by Handré Pollard. “We only need to look at the log to see how tough the Jaguares will be. They are playing some exceptional rugby at the moment. That said, they are coming into our backyard and we need to show who is boss in our house. We owe the Loftus faithful a good show.”

The team (with Vodacom Super Rugby caps and points) is:

Warrick Gelant (32, 60), Jamba Ulengo (21, 35), Jesse Kriel (59, 65), Johnny Kotze (33, 35), Divan Rossouw (12, 15), Handré Pollard (c; 45, 424), Embrose Papier (7, 0), Hanro Liebenberg (26, 15), Jannes Kirsten (16,10), Marco van Staden (14, 5), RG Snyman (37, 10), Jason Jenkins (40, 35), Conraad van Vuuren (15, 5), Jaco Visagie (33, 0) Pierre Schoeman (33, 15). Replacements: Edgar Marutlulle (31, 20), Simphiwe Matanzima (0, 0)/Matthys Basson (1, 0), Mornay Smit (1, 0), Thembelani Bholi (28, 5), Nick de Jager (27,20), Ivan van Zyl (15, 0),  Manie Libbok (8, 6), Dries Swanepoel (10, 10).