JOHANNESBURG - With little or no player resources left at his disposal, Bulls coach John Mitchell has kept faith in the same team to play against the high flying Jaguares at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Still smarting from their 42-37 defeat against the Sunwolves last weekend in Singapore, Mitchell will give his players yet another opportunity to prove themselves worthy of the jersey and also to close out the season on a high in their last home game of the campaign. Mitchell, though, has made one change on the bench with Springbok scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl replacing Andre Warner and prop Matthys Basson is likely to also make a return to the side, if he passes a late fitness test, in place of Simphiwe Matanzima.
“That’s all we’ve got left,” joked Mitchell about his team. “With the number of guys coming back from not having played in a while, some of them are in a bit of a preseason. To try any form of cohesion and connection it is important to try get the same group out so that is the purpose behind the selections,” said Mitchell.
The last time the two teams met was in Buenos Aires where the Jaguares inflicted the biggest defeat of the season on the Bulls, beating them 54-24 and starting a three match losing streak which the Bulls will be hoping to bring to a halt at home.
Bulls team:
Warrick Gelant, Jamba Ulengo, Jesse Kriel, Johnny Kotze, Divan Rossouw, Handre Pollard, Embrose Papier, Hanro Liebenberg, Jannes Kirsten, Marco van Staden, RG Snyman, Jason Jenkins, Conraad van Vuuren Jaco Visagie, Pierre Schoeman. Replacements: Edgar Marutlulle, Simphiwe Matanzima/Matthys Basson, Morne Smit, Thembelani Bholi, Nic de Jager, Ivan van Zyl, Manie Libbok, Dries Swanepoel.