THE Blue Bulls will finally unleash their newest signing on Saturday when Namibian and former Sharks No 8 Renaldo Bothma finally makes his debut for the Pretoria side in the Currie Cup Qualifying tournament.
Bothma will make his debut on Saturday against the EP Kings in Port Elizabeth.
Bothma signed more than a month ago at the Bulls but has been plagued by a foot injury he picked up while playing in Japan. It is expected he will rejoin the Super Rugby side when they return from their three week tour of Australia if he gets through this game fine.
Bothma had previously played for the Golden Lions, Leopards, Pumas and then the Sharks, and was part of Namibia’s team for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Coach Hendr eacute; Marnitz made a number of changes to the side that came up short against the Xerox Golden Lions in Alberton two weeks ago.
With JT Jackson, Duncan Naude, Manie Libbok and Aston Fortuin training with the Junior Springboks, Duncan Matthews will also make his comeback from injury in the place of Libbock while Alcino Isaacs and Adrian Maebane comes in for Jackson and Naude.
Tighthead prop Dayan van Der Westhuizen will start in the front row and replace injured Entienne Swanepoel. A new face on the bench is winger Duhan van der Merwe, while former Bok Dean Greyling is also fit again and will play off the bench.
Blue Bulls: Duncan Matthews, Kefentse Mahlo, Alcino Isaacs, Adrian Maebane, Jade Stighlingh, Joshua Stander, Ivan van Zyl, Renaldo Bothma, Nic de Jager, Ruan Steenkamp, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Abongile Nonkontwana, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Corniel Els, Nqobisizwe Mxoli.
Replacements: Jan van der Merwe, Dean Greyling, Aston Fortuin, Freddy Ngoza, Andre Warner, Manie Libbok, Duhan van der Merwe. SuperSport
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