Wilco Louw and Embrose Papier return as Jake White bolsters a formidable Vodacom Bulls lineup for the URC quarter-final against Edinburgh at Loftus on Saturday.

The Springbok duo sat out the round 18 demolition of Dragons in Pretoria two weeks ago, and start for the Bulls as White’s charges look to secure a second successive home semi-final in Pretoria next week.

Tighthead prop Louw packs down in the front row with Jan-Hendrik Wessels and hooker Johan Grobbelaar, who trades places on the bench with fellow Bok Akker van der Merwe, while scrumhalf Papier partners flyhalf Keagan Johannes at halfback.

Locks JF van Heerden and Cobus Wiese retain their spots in the second row, with Marcell Coetzee taking over from Nama Xaba at openside flanker as part of a powerful loose trio with No 8 Cameron Hanekom and skipper Ruan Nortje.

URC REWIND: Bulls vs Edinburgh

Canan Moodie, meanwhile, shifts from outside centre to right wing in an exciting back three with Sebastian de Klerk and Willie le Roux. David Kriel reunites with inside centre Harold Vorster in midfield to complete the starting XV changes.

Xaba, who was named Man of the Match for his standout performance against Dragons, drops out of the match-day 23 with Sergeal Petersen.

Bok world champion Marco van Staden, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Zak Burger, Stedman Gans and Devon Williams are set to make an impact off the bench.

Saturday’s clash is expected to be a thriller, given the Bulls beat Edinburgh on the Highveld in round 2 of the competition, before the Scottish outfit triumphed in their EPCR Challenge Cup last-eight showdown.

BULLS – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Keagan Johannes, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Ruan Nortje (c), 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Bench: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Devon Williams.

YOUR team to face Edinburgh in our VURC Quarter Final TOMORROW 🐂

GRAB YOUR SEAT NOW ➡️ https://t.co/m0aR7qpPm9

🏆Vodacom Bulls vs Edinburgh
🗓️ 31 May | ⏰ 13:30 | 📍LOFTUS @Vodacom #URC | @URCOfficial_RSA #ForeverBlue pic.twitter.com/SkXxpKdXDP

— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) May 30, 2025

Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images