Ken Borland

A top-class Springbok halfback pairing and a debut for Ruan Vermaak were the highlights of the Bulls Currie Cup team announced on Thursday as they prepare for what they expect to be a very tough challenge from the Pumas at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.

Morne Steyn and Embrose Papier will start at flyhalf and scrumhalf respectively, while lock Vermaak, fresh from completing his stint with the Red Hurricanes in Japan, will add some beef against what will be a very combative Pumas pack.

Loosehead prop Lizo Gqoboka, who led from the front in the exciting win against a URC-strength Lions side, will once again captain the Bulls and he is expecting another fierce battle up front. Especially since the Pumas are eagerly trying to break into a semi-final place inside the top-four.

“The Pumas are known for their fight, they will play till the end. They will bring a lot of physicality and will be very desperate. We’re also hungry and we’re not in a position to underestimate anyone,” Gqoboka, still sporting a bruise to his cheek and a bloodshot eye from the Lions game, said.

“You can see we’re not taking anything for granted from the team we have picked, we really want that home final. The fact that players have to double up in the URC shows we really want to keep the Currie Cup.

“We are very serious about it, we are number one on the log at the moment, but we still have two more games.

“It’s quite special to be in this position in both competitions, and it speaks to the strategy of backing the players. This union really supports good depth, quality and competition within the squad,” Gqoboka said.

With the URC quarterfinals now upon them and the Currie Cup in a similar knockout phase if the Bulls want to top the log and earn the right to host the final, the defending champions are now focusing on trying to put together that perfect 80-minute game. In their last two matches, against the Lions and Griquas, the Bulls have allowed their opposition back into the game in the second half.

“We’re working the whole time on an 80-minute-plus performance,” coach Gert Smal said on Thursday. “Especially later in the game, it’s important to have things in place and the guys that come on must pick it up.

“As a player and as a team, it’s firstly about discipline, not conceding unnecessary yellow cards. We’ve been working hard on putting together a good second half. We’re going to need that perfect game now against some very good teams,” Smal said.

Bulls team:James Verity-Amm, David Kriel, Stedman Gans, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Richard Kriel, Morne Steyn, Embrose Papier; Muller Uys, Reinhardt Ludwig, WJ Steenkamp, Janko Swanepoel, Ruan Vermaak, Robert Hunt, Bismarck du Plessis, Lizo Gqoboka (CAPT). IMPACT-Sidney Tobias, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Kloppers, Raynard Roets, Stephan Smit, Keagan Johannes, Juan Mostert, Tharquinn Manuel.

Saturday’s games: Griquas v Free State (Kimberley, 2.30pm); Golden Lions v Western Province (Johannesburg, 5pm).