Springboks Embrose Papier and Cornal Hendricks will start against Benetton as the Vodacom Bulls look to exact revenge at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Papier, who has missed out on the Bulls’ last two matches due to concussion, replaces Zak Burger in the run-on XV. Hendricks will partner with fellow Bok Lionel Mapoe in midfield as Stedman Gans is roped in among the replacements.

New signing Dylan Smith is set to make his URC debut off the bench, and will cover both loosehead and tighthead prop, while Jan-Hendrik Wessels also returns from injury  to provide backup for in-form hooker Johan Grobbelaar.

Jake White says that the Bulls expect a testing encounter against Benetton, especially after the Italian side embarrassed the men from Pretoria in the 2021 Rainbow Cup final.

“We are expecting a tough match against Benetton this weekend, as we found out when we faced them in the final of the Rainbow Cup last year,” the Bulls boss said.

“They are a good side that has had some good wins against strong teams such as the Stormers and Edinburgh, among other wins this season.

“They will also be full of confidence with a full complement of their international players who were involved when Italy beat Wales not too long ago in the Six Nations. We will need to be at our best to counter a dangerous team like Benetton.”

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Bulls – 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Subs: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Dylan Smith, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Arno Botha, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Morne Steyn, 23 Stedman Gans.