Louw returns to take charge of Bulls

12/13/2024 08:20 AM

Elrigh Louw is among eight changes to the Vodacom Bulls lineup to face the Northampton Saints in round 2 of the Investec Champions Cup in Pretoria on Saturday.

Louw takes over the captaincy from fellow Springbok Johan Grobbelaar for the Herd's return to Loftus Versfeld following last week's defeat to Saracens in London.

However, World Cup-winning flanker Marco van Staden has been ruled out due to ankle surgery.

Tighthead prop Wilco Louw, hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels and lock Deon Slabbert have also been recalled. Wessels has recovered from an ankle injury while Slabbert will get to make his first run since arriving for his second loan spell in the capital.

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Louw slots into the front row alongside Gerhard Steenekamp and hooker Akker van der Merwe. Ruan Vermaak and JF van Heerden link up in the second row, with skipper Louw, Marcell Coetzee and Cameron Hanekom forming the loose trio.

Director of rugby Jake White has named an unchanged backline. The other changes to the match-day 23 are on the bench, which sees Kuyenzeka Xaba, Zak Burger, Boeta Chamberlain and Stedman Gans set to feature with Alulutho Tshakweni and Francois Klopper in a five-three split.

Bulls – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 David Kriel, 11 Devon Williams, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Subs: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17. Alulutho Tshakweni, 18. Francois Klopper, 19. Deon Slabbert, 20. Kuyenzeka Nama Xaba, 21. Zak Burger, 22. Boeta Chamberlain, 23. Stedman Gans.

Photo: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images

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