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Willem Strauss (Gallo Images)
- Saturday’s Super Rugby Unlocked game between the Bulls and Pumas will go ahead as planned.
- Bulls President Willem Strauss has confirmed that the Pumas have been eliminated after a Covid-19 scare at their camp.
- The Bulls are big favorites to lift the title; the only way they can be denied is if the Pumas win by 43 points.
Unlocked Saturday Super Rugby match between the Bulls Y Pumas in Pretoria it will go ahead.
The start at Loftus Versfeld is at 2:00 p.m.
There was still some uncertainty that the game would be suspended due to the Covid-19 cases in the Pumas camp, but the Bulls president Willem strauss On Friday he confirmed that the Pumas players have been cleared.
The Lowvelders had their game against the Lions postponed last week due to three players testing positive for the coronavirus.
There were also four Pumas players quarantined after being identified as close contacts who delayed confirmation of Saturday’s match.
But the Pumas have enough fit players to form a team by game day, with coach Jimmy Stonehouse making seven changes to the team that faced the Sharks in their previous meeting late last month.
Starting XV features a new front row in hooker HP van Schoor and props Morgan Naude and Ruan Kramer, while flanker Phumzile Maqondwana and number 8 Willem Engelbrecht win starts in the loose trio.
The two baseline changes are at the scrum half where Chriswill September replaces Ginter Smuts, who has been included among the replacements, and at the wing where Luther Obi enters for the injured Neil Maritz.
The Bulls are almost assured of the Super Rugby Unlocked title; the only way they can be denied is if the Pumas beat them by 43 points.
Equipment:
Bulls
15 David Kriel, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje , 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Jacques van Rooyen
Substitutes: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Clinton Swart, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren
Pumas
15 Devon Williams, 14 Luther Obi, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Wayne van der Bank, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Theo Boshoff, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Willem Engelbrecht, 7 Phumzile Maqondwana, 6 Francois Kleinhans, 5 Pieter Jansen van Vuren (captain) , 4 Darrien Landsburg, 3 Ruan Kramer, 2 HP van Schoor, 1 Morgan Naude
Substitutes: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Ig Prinsloo, 18 Brandon Valentyn, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Ginter Smuts, 21 Ali Mgijima, 22 Tapiwa Mafura, 22 Liam Hendricks
– Compiled by Sport24 staff
