Ackers opts for experience in Bulls-Glasgow semifinal
· Citizen
Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has put his trust in his most experienced players for their United Rugby Championship semifinal against Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield Stadium at 3.30pm on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Junior Blitzbok star Cheswill Jooste, who many expected to play after returning from injury, misses out.
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16 Springboks in Bulls squad
Captain Marcell Coetzee will earn his 100th Bulls cap, and hooker Johan Grobbelaar is set to run out for his 150th match in blue.
These landmarks add emotional weight to a side already built on cohesion and experience, particularly in the tight five where Gerhard Steenekamp, Grobbelaar and Francois Klopper anchor a physically imposing front row.
The loose trio of Coetzee, Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom provides a blend of breakdown authority, ball-carrying dynamism and defensive work rate.
The lock pairing of Ruan Vermaak and Ruan Nortje ensures lineout security and physical presence.
At halfback, Embrose Papier and Handré Pollard will control tempo and territory, with Pollard’s experience and game management central to navigating what is expected to be a high-pressure contest.
Out wide, the Bulls boast genuine strike power with Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse, while Willie le Roux offers tactical intelligence and distribution from the back.
The bench maintains that intensity, with the likes of Marco van Staden, Wilco Louw and Nizaam Carr providing impact and versatility in what is likely to be a match decided in the closing stages.
“It’s a great privilege to be in the URC semifinal,” said Ackermann.
“Added to that is the opportunity to play at an iconic venue like Murrayfield. It will be an amazing day. It’s a good challenge and one we look forward to, a game of small margins, I suspect.”
Bulls starting XV
Willie le Roux, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs, Handré Pollard, Embrose Papier, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Marcell Coetzee (c), Ruan Nortjé, Ruan Vermaak, Francois Klopper, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench
Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Jeandré Rudolph, Zak Burger, Stedman Gans, Nizaam Carr.