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Libbok at No 10 as Vermeulen leads Bulls

Pretoria - Bulls coach Pote Human has named his team for Saturday’s Super Rugby encounter against the Jaguares at Loftus Versfeld.

Kick-off is at 15:05.

Human has made several changes to the side that beat the Sharks 19-16 in Durban last weekend.

In the backline, Manie Libbok takes over from captain Handre Pollard, who is rested in line with SA Rugby's protocol to rest Springbok players.

Johnny Kotze starts at right wing, with Cornal Hendricks moving to the bench, while Springbok centre Jesse Kriel is also rested, allowing Dylan Sage to take the No 13 jersey.

Jade Stighling also gets a chance at left wing in place of Rosko Specman.

Up front, Jannes Kirsten starts in the No 7 jersey, with Hanro Liebenberg moving to lock in place of Jason Jenkins.

Corniel Els starts at hooker in place of Schalk Brits, who is banned for four matches following a bust-up with Sharks counterpart Akker van der Merwe at Kings Park last weekend.

There are more changes to the bench as well, where Jaco Visagie is due to make a first appearance in the tournament this season. Visagie is fit again following injury and will be keen to have a go.

JT Jackson will cover as flyhalf and comes on to the bench.

Human said the squad prepared well and is keen to continue their winning momentum against a dangerous opponent.

"The Jaguares are very, very competitive and have shown that they can win away from home. We will be looking for some consistency in performance and we need to play better when at home, as we have some of the best home support in the competition. We have rested some players, but the new guys are all very keen to make a contribution and I expect a massive effort from all of them."

No 8 Duane Vermeulen will take over the captaincy from Pollard.

"We were way under-par when we last played them so we owe ourselves a proper performance against the Jaguares. It is nothing personal, but we would love to get one over them this time. The South African conference is so tight, we cannot afford another slip-up at home," Vermeulen said.

Teams:

Bulls

15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Dylan Sage, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jade Stighling, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Hanro Liebenberg 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Lizo Gqoboka

Substitutes: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Thembelani Bholi, 20 Tim Agaba, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 JT Jackson, 23 Cornal Hendricks

Jaguares

TBA

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