Bulls name strong side for Champions Cup clash against Exeter

The battle for a spot in the round of 16 in the North and South's most revered club competition will kick off at 19h30pm.

Skipper Ruan Nortje will lead a strong pack of forwards that includes Gerard Steenekamp, Johann Grobbelaar and Mornay Smith in the front row.

Ruan Vermaak will pack down alongside his captain in the second row. Nizaam Carr starts at openside flank with Marco van Staden at blindside, both anchored by Elrigh Louw at 8.

Zak Burger and Chris Smith will lace up and control the game as half-backs whilst the David Kriel and Canan Moodie start on the wings, with Harold Vorster and Wandisile Simelane linking up as the centre pairing with Kurt-Lee Arendse at fullback.

Nortje's herd boasts an experienced and influential impact squad with the likes of Bismarck Du Plessis, Dylan Smith, Johan Goosen and Lionel Mapoe; all lining up alongside bright young stars in Francois Klopper, Janko Swanepoel, WJ Steenkamp and Embrose Papier.

The Bulls will line up during the outing with a buzz of optimism from the Loftus faithful, as a few permutations over this round could seal the side's place in the round of 16.

Forwards coach Russell Winter insists that the match remains the focus and not the permutations as the team prepares for a tough clash, willing to fight fire with fire.

"We have got to front up on Saturday, sticking to our systems, which will help us do well. We have to try hard and stay within what we have been coached and try to break them down in the way that they want to play, that is how we are going to get the result," said Winter.

"We are playing one of the top clubs in a top premium franchise competition, so the intensity will be higher and we are going to have to match it and improve our intensity if we want to make that we get the win. We have to be up for it physically, mentally and on our game, they might find some cracks; but if we do what we train, then we will be okay.

"We know they (Exeter) are a very good side, we know that they are well coached and we know that in the game that we played against them (in Exeter on December 17) they really put in a big scrum and mauling performance. We know their pack of forwards is a really good set of forwards, they really play and play expansive rugby as well if they want to.

"We have to prepare for all these things and come Saturday, we are going to put our best foot forward and hopefully we have prepared well enough to win the game," he added.

Bulls - 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 David Kriel, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Zak Burger, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Nizaam Carr, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johann Grobbelaar, 1 Gerard Steenekamp.

Replacements: 16 Dylan Smith, 17 Bismarck Du Plessis, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 WJ Steenkamp, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Johan Goosen, 23 Lionel Mapoe