Frans Ludeke has reinstated Jacques du Plessis to the starting line-up for the Blue Bulls' Currie Cup visit to Newlands on Saturday.

The burly flanker, who missed last weekend's loss to the Lions while still recovering from a broken jaw, will start in the No 7 jersey. Jono Ross, who started on the blindside last weekend, will shift to the back of the scrum with Jacques Engelbrecht dropping to the bench.

In the only other change to the starting XV, Marcel van der Merwe comes in for Dean Greyling, who is suffering with a calf strain. Greyling could miss more than just this week's match though, after being cited for a stamp during the 41-13 hammering at the hands of the Golden Lions.

Following the team announcement, Ludeke spoke of his side's tough start to their campaign and the need to rectify the wrongs of last weekend's performance.

'We identified the first two away matches of the campaign as huge obstacles in our way and last week was indeed that,' he said.

'We've buried last week's performance and now focus on what we can deliver against a very competent Western Province side. We know only too well that this is a massive opportunity for us to show our character and drive for success.'

Blue Bulls – 15 Jürgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Sampie Mastriet, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Jono Ross, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann (c), 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Subs: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Hencus Van Wyk, 18 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 19 Jacques Engelbrecht, 20 Rudy Paige, 21 Tony Jantjies, 22 Jesse Kriel.

Photo: Carl Fourie/Gallo Images