Akker van der Merwe will captain the Vodacom Bulls when they begin their fourth charge at the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in round 2 of the 2024/25 season against Edinburgh Rugby on Saturday (28 September 2024) at 15h00.
Tickets to the tie start from R 50.00c and are available only from Ticketpro.
Van der Merwe will line up alongside Alulutho Tshakweni who will make his VURC debut for the franchise with Wilco Louw completing the front row. Ruan Vermaak and Cobus Wiese link up at lock, with Kuyenzeka Xaba and Jannes Kirsten at flank. Cameron Hanekom slots in at eight to complete the forwards pack.
Embrose Papier starts at scrumhalf with Jaco van der Walt at flyhalf. Behind the halfback duo will be Sebastian de Klerk at left wing, Canan Moodie and David Kriel at fullback. Chris Barend Smit and Stedman Gans combine at inside and outside centre respectively.
Director of Rugby Jake White has opted for a five-three split impact squad which will feature Johan Grobbelaar, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, JF van Heerden, Marcell Coetzee, Keagan Johannes, Boeta Chamberlain and Aphiwe Dyantyi.
“I am really happy that we have a lot of Vodacom Bulls guys playing for the Springboks and it is nice to have Canan and Grobbies back because they have international experience, and they can bring that back to us and the more players we can have with international experience and the kind of pressure they have experienced at that level will help us in our environment” comments White on the return of the Springbok duo.
On Goosen’s absence and Jaco starting: “It is quite nice to have Jaco available for us against Edinburgh, a club where he was and will know a lot of their players. He is an international player, which is why we signed him and Boeta [Chamberlain] so that a guy like Goosen does not have to play 80 minutes each week.”
On David Kriel at fullback and Barend Smit at centre, White said: “David was at fullback before I moved him to centre and a guy like Barend Smit had a brilliant Currie Cup so he deserves a start which gives me flexibility with the backs that we have,”
“The back three is important for us this weekend and how we want to play with the specific skillset that they have. Then you have a guy like Aphiwe on the bench which gives you the confidence going into the match.”
VODACOM BULLS vs EDINBURGH RUGBY STARTING XV: 1. Alulutho Tshakweni, 2. Akker van der Merwe (c), 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Ruan Vermaak, 5. Cobus Wiese, 6. Nama Xaba, 7. Jannes Kirsten, 8. Cameron Hanekom, 9. Embrose Papier, 10. Jaco van der Walt, 11. Sebastian de Klerk, 12. Chris Barend Smit, 13. Stedman Gans, 14. Canan Moodie, 15. David Kriel
VODACOM BULLS IMPACT SQUAD: 16. Johan Grobbelaar, 17. Simphiwe Matanzima, 18. Francois Klopper, 19. JF van Heerden, 20. Marcell Coetzee, 21. Keagan Johannes, 22. Boeta Chamberlain, 23. Aphiwe Dyantyi
MANAGEMENT: Jake White – Director of Rugby, Chris Rossouw – Assistant Coach, Werner Kruger – Assistant Coach, Andries Bekker – Assistant Coach, Jean Tiedt – Assistant Coach, Kennedy Tsimba – Assistant Coach, Phiwe Nomlomo – Assistant Coach, John-William Meyer – Technical Analyst, Dr. Herman Rossouw – Team Doctor, Lance Lammetjies & Darryn Berry – Physiotherapists, Andre Volsteedt – Strength & Conditioning, Yusuf Vahed – Sport Scientist, Elias Bennett – Team Manager, Simon Dyidi – Logistics Manager
