Star lock pair boost fired-up Bulls

The return of a top-class second-row pairing in Lood de Jager and RG Snyman is part of a quartet of changes Bulls coach John Mitchell announced yesterday for his team’s vital Super Rugby derby against the Sharks in Durban tomorrow.

De Jager, capped 36 times by the Springboks and making his 56th Super Rugby appearance, is over his calf strain, while Snyman, who represented South Africa in a non-cap international against the Barbarians in 2016, is fit again after fracturing his cheek against the Chiefs a month ago.

“We’ve got back two experienced locks but they are very well aware that the three younger locks are pushing them hard, they brought huge physicality if not quite the accuracy against the Stormers. But Lood is a Test regular and RG has the potential to play consistent Test rugby as well.

“They’ve grown as a combination, so I am pleased to have them back again,” Mitchell said at Loftus Versfeld yesterday.

In the other changes to the team that beat the Stormers, Johnny Kotze comes back at right wing after a back strain ruled out Travis Ismaiel, and Hanro Liebenberg shifts back to his regular position at eighthman as Tim Agaba has been released for Commonwealth Games duty with the Springbok Sevens.

Among the replacements, young scrumhalf Embrose Papier has been given a break and is replaced by Andre Warner, while Duncan Matthews steps up for the promoted Kotze.

The Bulls are expecting a torrid physical battle in Durban and Mitchell has opted for more physical players in the tight selection calls, while the tough start to the season has forced the likes of Roelof Smit, who is still among the replacements, to be managed.

“Embrose is an exceptional talent and he will be back, and this is a good time for him to think about growing his game management. We’re blessed to have three very good scrumhalves,” said Mitchell.

“Roelof is also being managed, he had a huge load early in the competition and Marco van Staden has a slight edge on him in terms of physicality.”