Zak Burger will lead a much-changed Vodacom Bulls team into their Carling Currie Cup match against the Airlink Pumas at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
With some injuries, coach Phiwe Nomlomo has mixed youth and experience and has six under-21 players in the matchday squad, as well as two debutants.
Former schoolboy stars - Casper Badenhorst, who played for the SA under-20 side last season and was a schoolboy sensation at Grey College - and former SA schools and Selborne College scrumhalf Daimon O’Connell have been added to the matchday 23 for their first starts in the Bulls jersey.
JJ Theron, who scored a sensational try at the end of the 64-0 rout of the Hollywoodbets Sharks, has been given a start at six in place of Nama Xaba, the regular Currie Cup captain, who misses out this week with injury.
Elsewhere, Jean Erasmus replaces Francois Kloppers at tighthead and former Springbok Aphiwe Dyantyi shifts to the left wing while Katlego Letebele returns to the right wing.
Cornel Smit gets his first start at 13, replacing Stedman Gans in the midfield.
The rest of the side has a very familiar feel to it, with the rest of the pack unchanged, while on the bench, Jaco Grobbelaar, one of the SA under-20 stars that won the World Championship, makes his first appearance for the season.
YOUR team to face the Airlink Pumas tomorrow at LOFTUS 🔥🫡
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) August 8, 2025
🎟️TICKETS: https://t.co/m0aR7qpPm9
⏰ KICK-OFF: 15:00
📍 LOFTUS @Vodacom | @TheCurrieCup #UNCENSORED pic.twitter.com/5HY8phu7Vg
Vodacom Bulls: Boeta Chamberlain; Kaltego Letebele, Cornel Smit, Chris Barend Smit, Aphiwe Dyantyi; Jaco van der Walt, Zak Burger (captain); Jeandre Rudolph, JJ Theron, Junior Pokomela, Marvin Orie, Sintu Manjezi, Jean Erasmus, Juann Else, Dylan Smith.
Replacements: Esethu Mnebelele, Lizo Gqoboka, Casper Badenhorst, Jaco Grobbelaar, Dylan de Leeuw, Marco Ferreira, Daimon O’Connel, PA van Niekerk.
