The Vodacom Bulls have made one forced change to their matchday 23 for the 2024/25 Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final in Dublin. The South Africans are all set for a classic clash of the titans against the Irish at Croke Park on Saturday, 14 June, at 18h00 South African Time.
- Eskom slots into loose forward
- Nemo forms part of five-three impact squad
Jake White, having lost VURC Next-Gen playmaker Cameron Hanekom in the semi-finals, has brought in Marco ‘Eskom’ van Staden into the forward pack with Nizaam ‘Nemo’ Carr coming into the impact squad in an otherwise unchanged 23 in personnel and duty.
Eskom slots in at loose forward alongside skipper Ruan Nortje, which sees Marcell Coetzee shifting to eight. Ahead of the back row, the tight five remains unchanged with Jan-hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw at front row with Cobus Wiese and JF van Heerden combining at lock.
The backline of Sebastian de Klerk and Canon Moodie on the wings, Harold Vorster and David Kriel at centre and el maestro, Willie le Roux, at full back, is unchanged. Halfback duo, Embrose Papier and Johan Goosen, are paired up once more to direct the flow of traffic under the Dublin skies.
Nemo is the only change to the five-three split impact squad in favour of the forwards pack. He is alongside Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Zak Burger, Keagan Johannes and Devon Williams.
VODACOM BULLS vs LEINSTER RUGBY STARTING XV: 1. Jan-hendrik Wessels, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Cobus Wiese, 5. JF van Heerden, 6. Marco van Staden, 7. Ruan Nortje (c), 8. Marcell Coetzee, 9. Embrose Papier, 10. Johan Goosen, 11. Sebastian de Klerk, 12. Harold Vorster, 13. David Kriel, 14. Canon Moodie, 15. Willie le Roux
IMPACT SQUAD: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Alulutho Tshakweni, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Jannes Kirsten, 20. Nizaam Carr, 21. Zak Burger, 22. Keagan Johannes, 23. Devon Williams
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 Lemmetjies & Darryn Berry – Physiotherapists, Andre Volsteedt – Strength & Conditioning, Yusuf Vahed – Sport Scientist, Dr. Eugene Hare – Team Manager, Simon Dyidi – Logistics Manager
