The Vodacom Blue Bulls will play with the same run-on side against Western Province on Saturday as the one that that smashed the Free State Cheetahs in the second half on the weekend.

Van Rooyen to start for u.21’s against Western Province.

Van der Merwe to take on Western Province in u.19 game.

Amongst the reserves, Warwick Tecklenburg replaces the injured Okkie Kruger and Lohan Jacobs is back as second scrumhalf in place of injured Ruan Snyman.

Team: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Gerhard van den Heever, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Dustin Jinka, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Derick Kuün, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Fudge Mabeta, 3 Rossouw de Klerk, 2 Gary Botha (C), 1 Corné Fourie.

Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Warwick Tecklenberg, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Francois Venter.

Blue Bulls U/21 News:

Vodacom Blue Bulls u.21 scrumhalf Rudi van Rooyen will replace Lohan Jacobs in the team to play Western Province u.21 in Cape Town on the weekend. Jacobs has been promoted to Currie Cup duty and Van Rooyen will start in his place. Juan Pike is fit again and will play in the front row.

Team: Ulrich Beyers, Sampie Mastriet, Fanie Booysen, Adri Jacobs, Clayton Blommetjies, Louis Fouché, Rudi van Rooyen, Arno Botha (c), Jono Ross, Dalton Davis, Franco Mostert, Gernu Eksteen, Gerhard Engelbrecht, Bongi Mbonambi, Juan Pike. Replacements: Jacques Momberg, Basil Short, JJ Breet, Lean Schwartz, Xander Redelinghuys, JC Roos, Pieter van der Walt, Courtnall Skosan.

Blue Bulls U/19 News:

The Vodacom Blue Bulls u.19 side to play Western Province in Cape Town on Saturday has been named. It shows two changes from the side that beat Free State last weekend, with Marthinus van der Merwe and Shaun Adendorff coming into the starting XV.

Team: Marthinus van der Merwe, Travis Ismaiel, William Small-Smith (v/c), Christopher Bosch, Damian van Wyk, Tony Jantjies, Abrie Griesel, Malherbe van Wyk, Shaun Adendorff, Wiaan Liebenberg (c), Marvin Orrie, Schalk van Heerden, Hencus van Wyk, Jason Thomas, Christopher Gouws. Replacements: Jaco Visagie, Marzug Maarman, Victor Hechter, CJ van der Schyff, Jacques Olivier, Christiaan Rust, Danie Ludick, Wiehan Hey.

Wilhelm Steenkamp to return to Vodacom Bulls

The Blue Bulls Company Pty (Ltd) is pleased to announce that former Vodacom Bulls and Vodacom Blue Bulls stalwart Wilhelm Steenkamp will be returning to Loftus Versfeld in 2012 and 2013.

Steenkamp, currently playing for the Free State Cheetahs, left the Bulls in 2010 for more playing time at the central franchise and according to Steenkamp, it was a decision he could never regret.

“I am ecstatic to re-join the Bulls in 2012. At the time, I had to leave Pretoria in order to get more playing opportunities. The Bulls had the most capped lock combination in the world in Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield playing for them and although it was great to learn and train with them, I felt that my game needed time on the pitch,” Steenkamp said.

He signed with the Cheetahs in early 2010.

“I am grateful to the Cheetahs who provided me with the opportunity to play. I have grown as a player and a person while playing for the Cheetahs and I will never stop appreciating the influence they had on my career. I would like to thank them for that.”

He is ‘coming home’, Steenkamp admits.

“I signed a professional contract with the Bulls straight out of school and have been with the side for a long time. My move to the Cheetahs was what was needed at the time, but I always knew that this is where I belong.”