Jesse Kriel will start at fullback when the Bulls take on the Sunwolves at Loftus on Saturday.

Kriel moves from outside centre to No 15, where he first burst on to the Super Rugby scene last year. His move sees Burger Odendaal move to 13, while Dries Swanepoel comes in as his midfield partner.

In other changes, Piet van Zyl rotates in for Rudy Paige at scrumhalf, while, among the forwards, Adriaan Strauss returns from a rest to resume the captaincy and his place at hooker.

The return of Strauss, in place of Bandise Maku, comes in an overhaul of the front row from the team that suffered a disappointing defeat to the Jaguares last weekend.

Pierre Schoeman will start at loosehead prop in place of the injured Lizo Gqoboko, while Werner Kruger slots in at tighthead in place of Marcel van der Merwe.

There has also been a reshuffle of the loose trio, where Renaldo Bothma starts at No 8, with Jannes Kirsten and Lappies Labuschagne on either flank.

Bulls – 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Burger Odendaal, 12 Dries Swanepoel, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Renaldo Bothma, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Lappies Labuschagne, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Subs: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Nqoba Mxoli, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Hanro Liebenberg, 20 Grant Hattingh, 21 Arno Botha, 22 Rudy Paige, 23 Tian Schoeman.

Photo: Johan Rynners/Gallo Images