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By Renaldo BothmaThe Bulls team announced for Friday night at Loftus tells you everything you need to know about where this franchise is right now — and I mean that in the most genuinely exciting way possible. Three uncapped players in the run-on side and on the bench for a Currie Cup clash against the Stormers XXIII is not a panic measure. It is a statement of intent from coach Phiwe Nomlomo that this season is about building something real, even if the wins have not come yet.
Having pulled on a professional jersey more than a hundred times myself, I know what it means to a young player when a coaching staff backs them with a starting berth. Loosehead prop Arno Gustafson and outside centre Pieter van der Merwe will run out at Loftus from the first whistle, while hooker Duwan Potgieter gets his opportunity off the bench. That takes the Vodacom Bulls XV's debutant count to 27 for this Currie Cup campaign alone — a number that would raise eyebrows anywhere in the world. Nomlomo is not just blooding youngsters; he is manufacturing experience at pace.
A Spine Worth Watching
Scrumhalf Keagan Johannes captains the side and that choice makes sense to me. You need a voice at the base of the scrum who can manage the tempo, and Johannes has been handed the armband for a reason. Devon Williams at flyhalf gives him a partner to work with, and the two of them will need to be sharp against a Stormers XXIII outfit that has playoff ambitions very much in mind. In the engine room, Heinrich Theron and Sintu Manjezi carry the workload, and I will be watching that combination closely — set-piece dominance at home is non-negotiable if the Bulls want to control this match.
The Loose Trio Is the Key
This is where the game will be won or lost, in my view. Kebotile Maake — named the Vodacom Bulls' U19 Player of the Year just this week — lines up alongside Abongile Nonkontwana, with JJ Theron, the Bulls' U21 and U23 Forward of the Year, at the back of the scrum. That is a seriously decorated group of young forwards for a side that is still finding its feet at this level. The physicality they bring will set the tone. If they can match the Stormers XXIII at the breakdown and carry with purpose, the platform exists for something special.