Bulls name Bok-studded touring squad: Arendse and Moodie return

True to his word, Bulls coach Johan Ackermann named an experienced 32-player touring squad, replete with 15 Springboks, for their next two Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship matches.

The Bulls travel to France for their must-win Champions Cup pool match against Section Paloise (Pau) on Friday night, before taking on Edinburgh in the 10th round of the URC at Hive Stadium the following Friday night. After these, the Bulls return to South Africa for three URC derbies.

Springbok flyers Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie both return from concussion protocols.

Junior Springbok star Cheswill Jooste is also available for both fixtures after Ackerman said on Saturday the wing had initially not been registered for the Champions Cup due to an earlier injury.

Keagan Johannes provides back-up for Handré Pollard at flyhalf, after the Springbok was far from his best during the Bulls’ 61-49 defeat to Bristol Bears on Saturday.

Gerhard Steenekamp misses out due to injury.

‘Only a few youngsters’

The Bulls have to beat Pau to have a chance of progression to the Champions Cup round of 16. The French side are in solid form, lying second in the Top 14 and beating Scarlets away on the weekend.

Ackermann explained that he could not pick too many youngsters for the tour due to logistical and regulatory reasons.

“EPCR only allows you to register 42 players [for the Champions and Challenge Cups],” Ackermann said.

“In that 42 you must be positive that you will make play-offs… so we’ve registered our best players and there are only a few youngsters.”

Teams are allowed to register new players in the pool stage, as the Bulls have done with Jooste, but there are limits and deadlines for this. Ackermann also said expanding the squad would mean paying for extra plane tickets and complicate things logistically as they sought to balance their campaigns in the two tournaments.

In turning their season around after seven straight defeats, Ackermann said not one of his players had demonstrated poor morale or work ethic in training.

However, he said if certain players missed tackles repeatedly in matches, he would have no choice but to rotate them.