The Vodacom Bulls have been forced to make three changes to their sixth-round matchday xxii after overnight illness struck the camp in Italy. The changes see Keagan Johannes moving from the impact squad into the flyhalf role, with Boeta Chamberlain among the casualties that also include centre Stedman Gans and speedster Sebastian de Klerk.
Elsewhere, Zak Burger has been drafted into the match day duty list as he will be the reserve scrumhalf now that Johannes shifts to ten. Chris Barend Smit and Harold Vorster are the other changes in place of Gans and de Klerk on the five-three split impact squad.
The South African outfit will battle out Benetton in Treviso as they round off their first European leg of the 2024/25 Vodacom United Rugby Championship campaign. Kick-off at the Stadio Monigo is set for 20h35 CAT and the match will be broadcast LIVE on SuperSport Rugby.
VODACOM BULLS vs BENNETTON RUGBY STARTING XV: 1. Alulutho Tshakweni, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Cobus Wiese, 5. JF van Heerden, 6. Marcel Coetzee, 7. Reinhardt Ludwig, 8. Elrigh Louw (c), 9. Embrose Papier, 10. Keagan Johannes, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 12. David Kriel, 13. Canan Moodie, 14. Aphiwe Dyantyi, 15. Devon Williams
VODACOM BULLS IMPACT SQUAD: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Dylan Smith, 18. Francois Klopper, 19. Ruan Vermaak, 20. Cameron Hanekom, 21. Zak Burger, 22. Chris Barend Smit, 23. Harold Vorster
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
