Former Lions lock Andries Ferreira will make his first appearance for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their Currie Cup match against the Cheetahs in Pretoria on Friday.

Ferreira, who was released from the Hurricanes without playing a match after suffering a recurring knee injury after his move from the Lions, has recovered fully and will make his first competitive appearance of the year.

The 29-year-old comes in for Lood de Jager, who is on Springbok duty, forming the lock partnership with Ruan Nortjé.

Loosehead prop Wiehahn Herbst will make his first start for the Bulls after withdrawing late from the team that faced Western Province to attend the birth of his child.

In the only other change to the starting lineup Roelof Smit starts at blindside flank in place of the injured Wian Vosloo.

There are a couple of changes on the bench as fit-again Dayan van der Westhuizen will provide cover for loosehead prop while Springbok loose forward Marco van Staden is also named as a replacement.

Bulls – 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Johnny Kötze, 12 Burger Odendaal (c), 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Tim Agaba, 7 Roelof Smit, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima.
Subs: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Jean Droste, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Dylan Sage.

Photo: Photosport