Morne Steyn will win his 100th provincial cap as the Vodacom Bulls have reverted to a full-strength lineup for their Currie Cup semi-final against the Lions on Saturday.
Bulls director of rugby Jake White has named a full-strength match-day squad to face the Lions at Loftus Versfeld at 2pm on Saturday.

Ivan van Zyl and Morne Steyn continue with their halfback pairing as the latter celebrates a ton of provincial matches for the Bulls.

In other changes to the backline from the young team that lost to the Pumas, Cornal Hendricks and Stedman Gans return in midfield, while Stravino Jacobs is joined in the back three by fullback David Kriel and wing Kurt-Lee Arendse.

Among the forwards, Duane Vermeulen resumes the captaincy and will man the back of the scrum alongside Elrigh Louw and Marco van Staden at blindside and openside flank, respectively.

Sintu Manjezi has been named at lock while his second-row partner, Ruan Nortje, continues in his role as lineout coordinator at No 5.

Schalk Erasmus will start at hooker and be flanked by Springboks Lizo Gqoboka and Trevor Nyakane.

‘We have reached the business end of the Currie Cup and I must commend our entire squad on getting us to this point,’ White said. ‘Every player in our ranks has contributed to our cause with enthusiasm and a never-say-die attitude.

‘Focusing on this weekend has been on our minds for the last two weeks and we have done all we can in terms of preparation. We know how to win and we have to just that against a team that has pushed us each time we’ve played them.’

Bulls – 15 David Kriel, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen (c), 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Schalk Erasmus, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Subs: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jan Uys, 20 Arno Botha, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren.

Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix