Springbok artillery rested as White heavily rotates Bulls for Champions Cup

Bulls director of rugby Jake White selected a heavily-rotated side for their first-ever Champions Cup encounter when they face French club Lyon at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (19:30).

Bereft of any current Springboks, the Bulls have capped internationals Nizaam Carr, Bismarck du Plessis and Lizo Gqoboka in the 23, with retired Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn captaining the team in Ruan Nortje's absence.

None of the in-form Springbok outside backs - Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie - feature, nor do the preferred halfbacks Zak Burger and Embrose Papier.

However, Wandisile Simelane gets another chance to impress at fullback, while Stedman Gans gets a rare chance at No 13 after falling well down the pecking order.

Gqoboka will make his 100th Bulls appearance if he gets onto the park, while the Bulls faithful will get a chance to see promising talents Sibongile Novuka and Phumzile Maqondwana show their wares.

Bulls team:

15 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Sibongile Novuka, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Morne Steyn (captain), 9 Bernard van der Linde, 8 Muller Uys, 7 WJ Steenkamp, 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Reinhardt Ludwig, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Jacques van Rooyen, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Dylan Smith.

Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Sebastian Lombard, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Phumzile Maqondwana, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Chris Smit, 23 Juan Mostert