Bulls change four for Osprey's visit

The Vodacom Bulls have made three changes to the starting xv personnel with an additional fourth in the impact squad to make it four changes in a slightly rotated forward pack for round four of the 2024/25 Vodacom United Rugby Championship in Wales.

The Tshwane side travel to the Swansea.com Stadium to take on the Ospreys on Saturday 12 October, live on SuperSport Rugby from 20h35 South African Time.

Jake White – the herd’s director of rugby – has moved Cobus Wiese to the five-three split impact squad as Ruan Vermaak starts at lock alongside skipper, Ruan Nortje. In front of the lock pairing is the unchanged trio of Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw.

Marco van Staden who has not travelled for the tour is replaced by Marcell Coetzee who slots into six flank alongside Reinhardt Ludwig who is also a new change to the round 3 side. Ludwig at flank sees Elrigh Louw shifing to eighth-man duties and Cameron Hanekom moving to the impact squad.

White has retained the services of the entire backline that helped register a bonus point victory against Ulster in the previous tournament round at Loftus Versfeld.

Alulutho Tshakweni is the only other change to the matchday 23, lining up alongside Akker van der Merwe, Francois Klopper, Wiese, Hanekom, Keagan Johannes, Stedman Gans and Aphiwe Dyantyi who all complete the impact squad and duty roster for the match day.

VODACOM BULLS vs OSPREYS STARTING XV: 1. Gerhard Steenekamp, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Ruan Vermaak, 5. Ruan Nortje (c), 6. Marcell Coetzee, 7. Reinhardt Ludwig, 8. Elrigh Louw, 9. Embrose Papier, 10. Boeta Chamberlain, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 12. David Kriel, 13. Canan Moodie, 14. Sebastian de Klerk, 15. Willie le Roux

VODACOM BULLS IMPACT SQUAD: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Alulutho Tshakweni, 18. Francois Klopper, 19. Cobus Wiese, 20. Cameron Hanekom, 21. Keagan Johannes, 22. Stedman Gans, 23. Aphiwe Dyantyi

MANAGEMENT: Jake White – Director of Rugby, Chris Rossouw – Assistant Coach, Werner Kruger – Assistant Coach, Andries Bekker – Assistant Coach, Jean Tiedt – Assistant Coach, Kennedy Tsimba – Assistant Coach, Phiwe Nomlomo – Assistant Coach, John-William Meyer – Technical Analyst, Dr. Herman Rossouw – Team Doctor, Lance Lammetjies & Darryn Berry – Physiotherapists, Andre Volsteedt – Strength & Conditioning, Yusuf Vahed – Sport Scientist, Elias Bennett – Team Manager, Simon Dyidi – Logistics Manager