Schalk Brits and Duane Vermeulen will make their first Vodacom Bulls appearances in Sunday’s pre-season match against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium.

The duo will be up against their former side, having made a return to the South African rugby landscape after playing abroad.

Vermeulen will start at No 8, alongside Jannes Kirsten and Paul Schoeman, who will also be involved with the Bulls for the first time since joining from the Cheetahs.

There are eight Springboks in the starting team, including Warrick Gelant, Handré Pollard and Jesse Kriel, while another, Embrose Papier, is on the bench.

Johnny Kotze, who re-joined the squad following a loan spell with the Ospreys in Wales, will also play off the bench.

Bulls coach Pote Human feels the match will be an important first step for his side.

‘There are new faces in the team, but the likes of Schalk and Duane are so experienced that they slotted in from the start,’ Human said. ‘It will be a matter of getting the combinations going, have them tested against quality opposition like the Stormers and get an idea of where we are.

‘I am pleased with the experience and quality in the group, but you still need some matches together to get going, and the weekend’s match in Cape Town will do exactly that.’

The friendly forms part of the first-ever double-header on 3 February at Cape Town Stadium, which will feature all four South African Vodacom Super Rugby franchise teams on the same day at one venue.

Bulls – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Duncan Matthews, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Lood de Jager (c), 4 Eli Snyman, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Subs: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Simphiwe Matanzina, 18 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Ruan Steenkamp, 21 Thembelani Bholi, 22 Embrose Papier, 23 Manie Libbok, 24 Dylan Sage, 25 Johnny Kotze, 26 Divan Rossouw.

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