Late change as Bulls add two Springboks to line-up for All Blacks

The Bulls have added a Springbok double whammy to the side that will face the All Blacks in Pretoria on Saturday.

Elrigh Louw and Johan Grobbelaar have both been added to the squad and will feature off the bench, although it’s not been clarified who they will replace, it’s most likely that Jaundre Schoeman and Mpilo Gumede will now miss out on the chance to the play the All Blacks.

A statement reads: “Having been released to get more game time ahead of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, Springboks Elrigh Louw and Johan Grobbelaar have been drafted into the Vodacom Bulls’ squad for tomorrow’s match against the All Blacks.

“They will play off the bench as they have had just a single training session with the team after travelling back from Argentina.”

The pair both started against Argentina in last weekend’s 17-10 victory over the South American side at the Estadio José Amalfitani in Buenos Aires.

“It’s great to have them with us, and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” said Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann.

Dave Rennie’s All Blacks got their Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour off to a winning start with a pair of victories; the first coming after a hard-fought contest with the DHL Stormers in Cape Town, followed by a resounding hammering of the Sharks in Durban on Tuesday.

The Bulls, who have named a reasonably strong side even given the absence of their front-line Springboks, will be hoping to push the New Zealanders hard at altitude.

Probable Bulls line-up: 15 Willie le Roux; 14 Thaakir Abrahams, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs; 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Embrose Papier; 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Marcell Coetzee; 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak; 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Juann Else, 1 Alulutho Tshakweni.

Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Khutha Mchunu, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Katlego Letebele, 23 Hakeem Kunene.