Cyle Brink makes a welcome return from injury as Vodacom Bulls coach Gert Smal pulls no punches for Wednesday’s battle with the Sharks in the Currie Cup.
Brink, who suffered a hamstring injury in the Bulls’ opening match of the season, will pack down with captain Arno Botha and WJ Steenkamp in a powerful loose trio at Loftus Versfeld. Tighthead prop Kowie Roos has also earned a start, as has Morne Steyn, who will link up with Keagan Johannes in the halfback channel.
Smal’s men hammered the Griquas 53-27 last time out, but the Bulls will face a Sharks side still unbeaten in the competition.
“The Sharks, alongside the Cheetahs, remain the only teams to have won all four of their matches so far,” the Bulls boss said. “It goes to show how much of a quality side they are and that they are strong contenders, once again, for the Currie Cup title.
“There will be no room for error against a side that will punish us if we are not clinical. We will therefore need to be at our best if we want to get back to winning ways at Loftus Versfeld.”
Sharks mix things up for trip to Loftus
Bulls – 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Keagan Johannes, 8 WJ Steenkamp, 7 Arno Botha (c), 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Janko Swanepoel, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Kowie Roos, 2 Schalk Erasmus, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Subs: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Jacques van Rooyen, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Cornal Hendricks.
