Bulls coach picks strong squad for trip to Ospreys

Bulls coach Jake White has selected the strongest possible 28-man squad for Friday’s vital United Rugby Championship (URC) clash against Ospreys in Swansea.

The Bulls head to Wales for this last round-robin match having already secured a playoff spot. But victory will be high on their agenda as it will give them a chance to host a home quarterfinal. Sixth on the URC standings after 17 matches, they must beat the unpredictable Ospreys in their own backyard and hope other results go their way.

White has included one of the side’s newest recruits, Ruan Vermaak, who joined the side late last week from Japanese team NTT Red Hurricanes.

“We have an important tour where we will face a dangerous Ospreys team” said White. “We are at a crucial stage of the competition — the business end of the round-robin stages and on the verge of the playoffs, with plenty to play for in terms of securing home quarterfinal spots.

“The focus is on playing well as a group this week and to start building good momentum going into the playoffs,” White said.

Bulls squad: Arno Botha, Bismarck du Plessis, Cyle Brink, Dylan Smith, Elrigh Louw, Gerhard Steenekamp, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Janko Swanepoel, Johan Grobbelaar, Marcell Coetzee (Capt), Mornay Smith, Robert Hunt, Ruan Nortje, Ruan Vermaak, Simphiwe Matanzima, Walt Steenkamp, Canan Moodie, Chris Smith, Cornal Hendricks, David Kriel, Embrose Papier, Harold Vorster, Juan Mostert, Keagan Johannes, Madosh Tambwe, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Stedman Gans, Zak Burger