Western Province vs Bulls

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – SEPTEMBER 03: Harold Vorster of the Vodacom Bulls on attack during the Carling Currie Cup semi final match between Vodacom Bulls and DHL Western Province at Loftus Versfeld on September 03, 2021 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)

Currie Cup result: Bulls hand WP a HIDING in Cape Town

Western Province host the Bulls in a midweek crunch match brings the curtain down on Currie Cup round two.

Western Province vs Bulls

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – SEPTEMBER 03: Harold Vorster of the Vodacom Bulls on attack during the Carling Currie Cup semi final match between Vodacom Bulls and DHL Western Province at Loftus Versfeld on September 03, 2021 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)

Western Province host the Bulls in a midweek crunch match brings the curtain down on Currie Cup round two.

The 20:00 kick-off will ensure the temperature has dropped considerably, a small mercy for players.

Western Province vs Bulls LIVE scores

Team news

The Bulls latest recruit, Cyle Brink, will make his debut for the side when they take on Western Province.

The Bulls will head to Cape Town with a strong team for their second match of the 2022 campaign.

After getting the season off to a winning start in the opening match against the Pumas over the weekend, head coach, Gert Smal, selected an equally exciting match-day 23 for the traditional North versus South derby at the Cape Town Stadium.

Prop Simphiwe Matanzima, hooker Bismarck du Plessis and flanker Marcell Coetzee, who will captain the side, will be part of a powerful pack of forwards.

Veteran, Morne Steyn, will spearhead a thrilling backline which will include a centre pairing of Harold Vorster and Lionel Mapoe, while the back three will be made up of Sibongile Novuka and Canan Moodie, with James Verity-Amm starting at fullback.

Bulls Currie Cup head coach, Gert Smal, said: “We are up for a big challenge against a good Western Province side, who are always very dangerous when playing at home.

“We are fortunate to have the opportunity to blend some valuable experience with some exciting youthful talent for this important fixture.

“We are looking forward to a tough physical battle and some entertaining rugby which we have become accustomed to when these two sides face each other.”

Marcel Theunissen will start at flank in one of three changes to the Western Province forward pack.

There are no changes to the backline that started in the 48-36 victory against the Sigma Lions, as Western Province look to make it back-to-back home wins to start the campaign.

Theunissen is joined in the loose trio by skipper Nama Xaba and Keke Morabe, who makes his first start at No.8, with Simon Miller shifting to the second row.

Seasoned prop Ali Vermaak makes his return from injury on the replacements bench, with tighthead prop Corne Weilbach, hooker Jacques Goosen and loose forwards Jarrod Taylor and Roelof Smit (currently on trial) all in line to make their senior DHL Western Province debut should they take the field.

Smit is a one-cap Springbok, while youngsters Weilbach, Taylor and Goosen are all part of SARU’s Elite Player Development System via the SA Schools and Junior Springbok programmes.

Western Province Head Coach Jerome Paarwater said that his team is determined to back-up their opening win with an improved performance in this midweek clash.

“It has been a very short turnaround between games, but our combinations should be a little more settled, so hopefully we will see more cohesion.

“We have managed to keep some continuity in selection and the players are all keen to reward the fans who come out to support us with some good rugby,” he said.

Teams: Western Province vs Bulls

Western Province

15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Leolin Zas, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Paschal Ekeji, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Nama Xaba (captain), 5 Simon Miller, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Kwenzo Blose.

Substitutes: 16 Jacques Goosen, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Jarrod Taylor, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Chris Schreuder, 23 Mnombo Zwelendaba

Bulls

15 James Verity-Amm, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sibongile Novuka, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 8 Muller Uys, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Janko Swanepoel, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Robert Hunt, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima

Substitutes: 16 Schalk Erasmus, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Sebastian Lombard, 19 Reinardt Ludwig, 20 WJ Steenkamp, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 FC du Plessis, 23 Stedman Gans