Cape Town – Springbok wing Sbu Nkosi and experienced lock Jacques du Plessis have been left out of the Bulls tour squad for the trip to Northern Ireland and France over the next two weeks.
Nkosi made his return to the game recently after being given time off to deal with personal matters, but won’t join the 28-man group that will fly out of South Africa tonight ahead of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against Ulster in Belfast (9.35pm SA time kickoff).
Bulls director of rugby Jake White has also omitted No 4 Du Plessis, as well as loose forward Mihlali Mosi and Bok prop Lizo Gqoboka, who will all feature for the Currie Cup side in Friday’s encounter against the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein (5.05pm kickoff) instead.
While Bok stars Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie return from their rest period as expected, White has also included young scrumhalf Neil le Roux – who was a schoolboy star for Oakdale in 2021 – and speedster Sibongile Novuka.
In the pack, the new faces are Junior Springbok hooker Tiaan Lange and ex-Grey College lock Merwe Olivier, alongside experienced campaigners such as Bismarck du Plessis and Dylan Smith.
“We are playing in multiple competitions, so it becomes important for us to balance our sides,” White said in a statement on Tuesday.
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“Both the teams are travelling, and the one remaining to focus on the Currie Cup campaign – we believe – has the best possible chance at getting the results we want.
“We have also left behind some experienced players like Lizo Gqoboka, Jacques du Plessis, Mihlali Mosi and Sbu Nkosi, who need more game-time, but also have the wisdom to flank the youngsters when they travel to Bloemfontein.
“This is important because we want to do well in that competition, as much as it is our ambition to do well in Europe.”
Following the Ulster match, the Bulls will travel to France for the Champions Cup round-of-16 showdown with Toulouse.
But following nine defeats in the last 11 matches across all competitions, the Pretoria franchise will hope to pull off a Currie Cup win over the Cheetahs first.
Bulls Tour Squad
Forwards: Bismarck du Plessis, Cyle Brink, Dylan Smith, Elrigh Louw, Francois Klopper, Gerhard Steenekamp, Janko Swanepoel, Johan Grobbelaar, Marco van Staden, Merwe Olivier, Mornay Smith, Ruan Nortjé (captain), Ruan Vermaak, Simphiwe Matanzima, Tiaan Lange, WJ Steenkamp.
Backs: Canan Moodie, Chris Smith, Cornal Hendricks, David Kriel, Embrose Papier, Harold Vorster, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Morné Steyn, Neil le Roux, Sibongile Novuka, Stedman Gans, Zak Burger.
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