Johannesburg - Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has named Victor Matfield among his replacements for Saturday's clash against the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld, and young winger Gerhard van den Heever, replaces the injured Bryan Habana in one of three changes to the run-on team that beat the Lions 16-9 in Johannesburg last weekend.
Matfield has recovered from the shoulder injury sustained against the Reds in the Bulls' first Super 14 match of the season and Ludeke says his role against the Stormers will be that of an impact player. Van den Heever is an under-20 player who has been training with the Bulls since they started preparing for the Super 14, and Ludeke is convinced that he will be able to do the job against the Stormers.
"Gerhard played for us in the warm-up matches and I am confident he will do well for us, "said Ludeke.
Van den Heever is a product of the Afrikaanse Hor Seunskool (Affies) where he played Craven Week rugby for the Blue Bulls and was one of the standout players of the Bulls' 2008 Under-19 team.
In the other changes to the staring XV JP Nel will be at outside centre as a result of the Bulls' rotation policy with Jaco Pretorius moving to the bench and Pedrie Wannenburg will start in place of Dewald Potgieter.
The latter has a sternum injury, and hard working Namibian, Jacques Burger, will replace Wannenburg on the bench.
The team is:
Zane Kirchner; Akona Ndungane, JP Nel, Wynand Olivier, Gerhard van den Heever; Morn Steyn, Fourie du Preez (capt.); Pierre Spies, Pedrie Wannenburg, Deon Stegmann, Danie Rossouw, Bakkies Botha, Werner Kruger, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Gurthr Steenkamp.
Replacements: Derick Kun, Rayno Gerber, Victor Matfield, Jacques Burger, Heini Adams, Burton Francis, Jaco Pretorius.