Cape Town – The attacking intent is clear from the Bulls after they announced their team to take on Zebre in a must-win United Rugby Championship on Friday in Parma (7.30pm SA time kickoff).
Coach Jake White made three changes to the starting side that went down 29-22 to the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld in their last match two weeks ago.
With veteran flyhalf Morné Steyn banned for three matches for his dangerous tackle on Sharks captain Lukhanyo Am, Chris Smith has been brought in at No 10, as expected.
But while Smith is a steady operator who uses his boot and passing game in equal measure, the two other new faces picked by White shows that the Bulls are hoping to push the envelope on attack and score a bonus-point victory by scoring four tries against a Zebre outfit that have lost all seven of their games – and are missing four Italy Test players due to the Six Nations.
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Kurt-Lee Arendse has been recalled at fullback after missing the Sharks clash with a shoulder problem, with David Kriel left behind in Pretoria for the Zebre clash.
Despite the wet and windy conditions expected in Parma on Friday night, White will hope that Arendse can bring his sevens skills to the fore to spark a Bulls backline that hasn’t quite fired with ball-in-hand this season.
The same applies to Embrose Papier, who replaces Zak Burger at scrumhalf, with a similar attack-minded reserve on the bench in the shape of Keagan Johannes, who will both look to unlock the Zebre defence.
🚨 TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) February 24, 2022
Introducing your Vodacom Bulls team to take on @ZebreRugby tomorrow night in Parma 💪
Who ya got? 👇 @Vodacom #URC #TrueToTheBlue pic.twitter.com/TpJ5RenIDZ
“We are looking forward to being back in action in the URC, following a week’s break after our previous match against the Sharks,” White said on Thursday.
“We are expecting a tough challenge against Zebre Parma, in their own backyard at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi. We are looking forward to an entertaining game of rugby, with our aim, of course, being an effort to return home with another overseas win under our belts.”
Bulls team: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse 14 Cornal Hendricks 13 Lionel Mapoe 12 Harold Vorster 11 Madosh Tambwe 10 Chris Smith 9 Embrose Papier 8 Elrigh Louw 7 Arno Botha 6 Marcell Coetzee 5 Ruan Nortje 4 Walt Steenkamp 3 Jacques van Rooyen 2 Johan Grobbelaar 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: 16 Bismarck du Plessis 17 Simphiwe Matanzima 18 Robert Hunt 19 Janko Swanepoel 20 WJ Steenkamp 21 Keagan Johannes 22 Juan Mostert 23 Canan Moodie.