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Victor Matfield returns to the side in the place of Wilhelm Steenkamp. Matfield missed the match against the Brumbies last weekend because of his return to South Africa for the birth of his second child.
In the other change Deon Stegmann is, as expected, back as the No 6 flank. Dewald Potgieter moves to the other side of the scrum while Pedrie Wannenburg drops to the bench where he replaces Stegmann.
With coach Frans Ludeke opting for two props on the bench, Steenkamp has been left out of the match-22 altogether.
The backline remains unchanged, with JP Nel again preferred to Jaco Pretorius at centre.
If Wannenburg takes the field on Saturday, it will be his 93rd successive Super 14 match for the Bulls.
Ludeke is wary of the Chiefs and in particular of their many game breakers.
“They are especially dangerous from broken play,” said Ludeke – and his team will undoubtedly concentrate on keeping turnovers to the minimum and keeping the game as tight as possible.
Ludeke said the Bulls will stick to their tried and tested game plan against the Chiefs but he would like to see the team improve in all the areas of their play.
“We would like to make a step up in our set pieces and we have focused a lot on our play at the breakdown. It is all about making steady progress in all aspects of your game with a lot of emphasis on detail.
“As a team we need to constantly strive for perfection and for that reason it all comes down to the quality of our execution.
“We believe in our game plan – the challenge for us is to implement it and to adapt to whatever the Chiefs are going to throw at us.”
Matfield said they are pleased to be back at Loftus. “Playing at Loftus filled with thousands of supporters is indescribable. It is a feeling I can’t explain to anyone and as a team we depend on our fans’ support,” he said to the Bulls’ website.
“… I am convinced a crowded stadium filled with countless Bulls flags puts the opposition under a lot of pressure.”
Bulls:
Zane Kirchner; Akona Ndungane, JP Nel, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana; Morn Steyn, Fourie du Preez; Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Victor Matfield (captain), Danie Rossouw, Werner Kruger, Derick Kun, Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Jaco Engels, Rayno Gerber, Pedrie Wannenburg, Heini Adams, Burton Francis, Jaco Pretorius.
