Francois Hougaard has replaced Fourie du Preez at scrumhalf in the Bulls starting line-up for their Super Rugby match against the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.
Prop Werner Kruger will play his 50th Super Rugby match for the Bulls.
Kruger made his debut in 2008 against the Stormers and will line-up in the front row with Dean Greyling and Chiliboy Ralepelle.
Ralepelle was named as one of five changes from the side that lost to the Crusaders in Timaru last weekend when the team was announced on Tuesday.
Flip van der Merwe and Jaco Pretorius picked up injuries in the Crusaders clash and were not considered for this week’s game.
Coach Frans Ludeke also made use of his rotational policy in giving starts to Derick Kuün and Gerhard van den Heever, with Francois Hougaard starting at scrum-half for the first time this year.
With Hougaard replacing Du Preez, Van den Heever moves into the vacant wing berth. Kuün swops places with Deon Stegmann who moves to the bench.
Stegmann will be joined by Du Preez and Akona Ndungane, who makes a welcome return to Super Rugby. Ndungane last played in 2009 and had to combat serious injury to return to this level.
Stephan Dippenaar replaces Pretorius in the only other change to the team.
Ludeke said the Reds encounter would be the most important match of the season for the Bulls.
“We will have to get points here and get back on track in order to stay in touch with the log leading teams,” Ludeke said.
Bulls team: Zane Kirchner, Gerhard van den Heever, Stephan Dippenaar, Wynand Olivier, Bjorn Basson, Morné Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Derick Kuün, Victor Matfield (capt), Bakkies Botha, Werner Kruger, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Dean Greyling.
Replacements: Gary Botha, Rossouw de Klerk, Danie Rossouw, Deon Stegmann, Fourie du Preez, Francois Brummer, Akona Ndungane.
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