Spies joins injury list

Springbok No.8 Pierre Spies has become the latest high profile player to be ruled out of the Bulls’ pre-season fixture against the Lions in Polokwane on Saturday.

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Spies – who is struggling with a hamstring strain – joins players like Bakkies Botha, Wynand Olivier, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Akona Ndungane, Francois Hougaard, Dewald Potgieter and Danie Rossouw that will not feature in the weekend’s clash.

However, Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has still managed to name a powerful combination to take on their trans-Jukskei rivals at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Ludeke included senior Springboks such as Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez and Gurthrö Steenkamp in his starting XV for the main game.

With Olivier on the sideline Jacques-Louis Potgieter makes a welcome return at inside centre and Derick Kuün is back at flank after a couple of seasons at hooker.

Gary Botha is again wearing the No.2 jersey, while former Springbok and Stormers midfielder De Wet Barry will feature on the replacements bench.

The Bulls are going to play with two teams against the Lions with most of the less experience players featuring in the first game.

With Matfield captaining the ‘Blue’ team, lock Wilhelm Steenkamp will lead the ‘White’ team against their counterparts from Johannesburg.

The ‘White’ team will kick off at 16.00, with the ‘Blue’ team starting at 18.30.

Bulls:

White team: 15 Tiger Mangweni, 14 Sampie Masriet, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Clayton Blommetjies, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Ruan Snyman, 8 Dries van Schalkwyk, 7 CJ Stander, 6 Okkie Kruger 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp (captain), 4 Fudge Mabeta, 3 Bees Roux, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Jaco Engels.
Replacements – from: Henri Bantjes, Dean Greyling, Cornell Hess, Devin Oosthuizen, Danie Faasen, Marnitz Boshoff, Wynand Willis, Rossouw de Klerk, De Wet Barry.

Blue team: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 11 John Mametsa, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Derick Kuün, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements – from: Jaco Engels, Bandise Maku, Bees Roux, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Ruan Snyman, Francois Brummer, Stephan Dippenaar, Dries van Schalkwyk, De Wet Barry.