Former Lions and Junior Springbok lock Ruan Vermaak has been included in the Vodacom Bulls’ 28-man squad for Friday’s clash with Ospreys in Wales.
Vermaak, who signed a three-year deal with the Bulls in March, joined the Pretoria outfit last week from Japanese side NTT Red Hurricanes.
Veteran hooker Bismarck du Plessis has also cracked the nod for the trip to Swansea, after returning from a three-week suspension in Saturday’s Currie Cup win over the Lions.
Jake White’s men have already secured a playoff spot in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, and can put themselves in a good position for a potential home quarter-final with a victory on Friday night.
“We have an important tour where we will face a dangerous Ospreys team in their own backyard. We are at a crucial stage of the competition – the business end of the round-robin stages and on the verge of the playoffs, with plenty to play for in terms of securing home quarter-final spots,” the Bulls director of rugby said.
“Be that as it may, the focus is on playing well as a group this week and to start building good momentum going into the playoffs.”
Full Bulls squad:
Forwards: Gerhard Steenekamp, Simphiwe Matanzima, Johan Grobbelaar, Bismarck du Plessis, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Mornay Smith, Robert Hunt, Dylan Smith, Ruan Nortje, Ruan Vermaak, Walt Steenkamp, Janko Swanepoel, Arno Botha, Cyle Brink, Elrigh Louw, Marcell Coetzee (c).
Backs: Embrose Papier, Zak Burger, Keagan Johannes, Chris Smith, Juan Mostert, Harold Vorster, Cornal Hendricks, Stedman Gans, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Madosh Tambwe, Canan Moodie, David Kriel.
