mens
united-rugby-championship
The Bulls are set to welcome back Springbok Willie le Roux for their repeat of last season’s United Rugby Championship final against Glasgow Warriors on Friday at Scotstoun.
The double World Cup winner has been out of action for the past month after undergoing surgery on a shoulder injury, but is now fit to take the bench for what could be a season-defining clash.
While Leinster are home and hosed at the top of the ladder, second place is up for grabs. The position is currently held by the reigning champions Glasgow, who hold a four-point lead over their visitors on Friday in third place.
While both sides look set to earn a home quarter-final berth with three rounds remaining of the regular season, a top-two finish would ensure a home semi-final should the quarter-final be won.
Fixture
United Rugby Championship
Glasgow
Bulls
Le Roux returns to Bulls squad alongside fellow Springbok Marco van Staden, who missed last week’s 13-16 victory over Munster due to the birth of his child.
The timing of Le Roux’s return will not only be a boost for the Bulls as they seek to reach their third URC final in four years, but will provide the 35-year-old plenty of time to find form in the hope of being selected by Rassie Erasmus ahead of Tests against Italy and Georgia in July.
The full-back currently has 98 South Africa caps to his name and will be eyeing a century when the international season begins. For now, however, his focus will be on the Bulls and the task at hand in Scotland.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Ollie Smith, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Kyle Steyn (c), 12 Stafford McDowall, 11 Kyle Rowe, 10 Tom Jordan, 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Mann, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Gregor Brown, 5 Alex Samuel, 4 Max Williamson, 3 Patrick Schickerling, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 1 Nathan McBeth
Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Scott Cummings, 20 Euan Ferrie, 21 Sione Vailanu, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Adam Hastings
Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Ruan Nortje (c), 6 Jannes Kirsten, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jaco Grobbelaar, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Willie le Roux, 23 Stedman Gans
