Bulls name team for Boland Clash

Injuries might have forced Vodacom Bulls coach Phiwe Nomlomo’s hand, but he continues to juggle
mercury in his bid to blend youth and experience.
With injuries to form man Jeandre Rudolph, Chris Smit and prop Dylan Smith, Nomlomo’s squad for
this weekend’s Carling Currie Cup fixture against Boland looks very different to what came before.
Five of the pack, including the entire front row, are in their 20s, but the return of captain Nama Xaba
from injury, plus the wiles of lock pair Sintu Manjezi and Marvin Orie adds a steel the pack will
require away from home. In all, there are 12 under-21s in the squad, seven of them starting this
weekend.
“Every game is a massive test from now,” said Nomlomo, conceding how last week’s defeat to the
Pumas had put them on the backfoot.
He said Sunday’s fixture had more piquancy because the opposition are “our brothers from the
other side”, based on dual shareholders. If anything, the outcome is likely to determine just who is
the big brother in the relationship.
Nomlomo said the Bulls would be ready for the conditions and atmosphere in Wellington.
“The weather will do what it does; if it’s windy or wet, we have to adjust. We’ve got players who
grew up in Boland and know what the environment is like when the crowd gets going. They’ve even
got a band and horses there now – it’s busy – so we need to be ready for everything.”
In other significant selections, 20-year-old JJ Theron comes in at No 8 while Boeta Chamberlain
returns to flyhalf and Stravino Jacobs slots in at fullback.
Demitre Erasmus, another member of the SA under-20s, starts at outside centre with Aphiwe
Dyantyi, a late withdrawal last weekend, back in harness on the left wing.