Cape Town – If there were any doubts about how seriously the Bulls are taking the Currie Cup, then that can now be dismissed following the selection of the team to take on the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday (8pm kickoff).
No less than six regular starters from the United Rugby Championship team will line up for the Currie Cup side, just a few days after they beat Munster 29-24 in Pretoria.
Fullback Kurt-Lee Arendse, centres Lionel Mapoe and Harold Vorster, wing Madosh Tambwe – who was the Man of the Match against Munster – flank Arno Botha and lock Walt Steenkamp all fronted up at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday.
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In addition, right wing Canan Moodie was on the bench against Munster, while there are more starters from that match on the bench against the Sharks – hooker Johan Grobbelaar, props Gerhard Steenkamp and Jacques van Rooyen, lock Ruan Nortje, No 8 Elrigh Louw, flyhalf Chris Smith and wing Cornal Hendricks.
Bulls Currie Cup coach Gert Smal said last week that the union will continue to pick the strongest possible team for each match, and he backed that talk up on Tuesday.
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But perhaps of greater importance to Bulls URC boss Jake White will be the progress of Morné Steyn – who starts at No 10 after coming off the bench against Munster – while flank Cyle Brink is back from a lengthy injury layoff, and loosehead prop Lizo Gqoboka will want to produce an eye-catching performance as well.
Veteran hooker Bismarck du Plessis was due to start against the Sharks, but is awaiting his fate from the URC disciplinary committee following his red card against Munster.
Bulls Team
15 Kurt-Lee Arendse 14 Canan Moodie 13 Lionel Mapoe 12 Harold Vorster 11 Madosh Tambwe 10 Morné Steyn 9 Keagan Johannes 8 WJ Steenkamp 7 Arno Botha (captain) 6 Cyle Brink 5 Janko Swanepoel 4 Walt Steenkamp 3 Kowie Roos 2 Schalk Erasmus 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Bench: 16 Johan Grobbelaar 17 Gerhard Steenkamp 18 Jacques van Rooyen 19 Ruan Nortje 20 Elrigh Louw 21 Marco Jansen van Vuren 22 Chris Smith 23 Cornal Hendricks.
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