Deon Stegmann will make his first start of the season when the Vodacom Bulls tackle the Blues at Loftus on Saturday.
He has made a full recovery from a groin strain and will replace Jono Ross at openside flank. Ross moves to No 8, while Grant Hattingh drops out of the match 23.
Coach Frans Ludeke has made a further change to his pack, with Werner Kruger starting at tighthead prop in place of the injured Frik Kirsten. Morné Mellett has been included on the bench as prop cover.
The backline remains unchanged, with winger Akona Ndungane set to earn his 100th Super Rugby cap.
Bulls – 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Jono Ross, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Flip van der Merwe (c), 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Dean Greyling.
Subs: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Morné Mellett, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Paul Willemse, 20 Jacques Engelbrecht, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Ulrich Beyers.
Photo: Duif du Toit/Gallo Images
