CARLING CURRIE CUP: Balanced Vodacom Bulls side ready for Kimberley showdown

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The Vodacom Bulls will head to Kimberley, where they will face the Tafel Lager Griquas in a Carling Currie Cup clash, with a loaded team.

The two sides will meet at Tafel Lager Park at 14h30 tomorrow where both sides will be looking to claim bragging rights after weeks of no action in the domestic competition.

Tafel Lager Griquas beat DHL Western Province 22-20 in their last outing at home on February 18, while the Vodacom Bulls went down 25-38 to the Toyota Cheetahs on February 2 – their last bit of action in the Carling Currie Cup.

The Vodacom Bulls have selected a strong side for the encounter which is expected to be a thrilling battle between the two sides.

The Tshwane-based side will see several players who featured in last weekend’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship win over Zebre Parma, in Italy, turning out on Saturday.

Captain, Marcell Coetzee, will spearhead the star-studded team which includes, among others, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cornal Hendricks, Chris Smith, and Embrose Papier in the backline.

In the forwards pack, alongside Coetzee, will be Arno Botha, Walt Steenkamp, Bismarck du Plessis and Simphiwe Matanzima.

Vodacom Bulls Carling Currie Cup head coach, Gert Smal, said ahead of the game: “The Tafel Lager Griquas have shown some good form so far this season and everybody knows how tough of an opponent they always are on the domestic scene. We, therefore, expect an exceptionally tough match against them, especially at their home ground.

“We will have to be at our best if we want to claim a good result. We have a good blend of experience and exciting youth in our squad, and we hope that our preparations over the past few weeks will come together this weekend.”

The match will be televised on SuperSport tomorrow.

 The Vodacom Bulls team to face Tafel Lager Griquas is:

STARTERS (15-1): Kurt-Lee Arendse (Betway Centurion), Canan Moodie (Pretoria), Stedman Gans (Northam Rhinos), Cornal Hendricks (Northam Rhinos), Richard Kriel (Tuine), Chris Smith (Harlequins), Embrose Papier (UP Tuks); Muller Uys (UP Tuks), Arno Botha (ABE Midas Naka Bulle), Marcell Coetzee (CAPT, ABE Midas Naka Bulle), Janko Swanepoel (Pretoria), Walt Steenkamp (Tuine), Robert Hunt (Harlequins), Bismarck du Plessis (Betway Centurion), Simphiwe Matanzima (ABE Midas Naka Bulle).

IMPACT (16-23): Schalk Erasmus (Tuine), Lizo Gqoboka (ABE Midas Naka Bulle), Kowie Roos (Pretoria), Reinhardt Ludwig (UP Tuks), WJ Steenkamp (Tuine), Keagan Johannes (UP Tuks), Juan Mostert (Harlequins), Lionel Mapoe (Pretoria).