Scrumhalf Zak Burger captains the Vodacom Bulls in Saturday’s Currie Cup clash against the Pumas at Loftus.

Regular skipper Nama Xaba has been sidelined with a minor injury and is replaced at blindside flank by JJ Theron.

In other changes, Jean Erasmus comes in for Francois Klopper at tighthead prop, Cornel Smit earns his first start of the season at outside centre in place of Stedman Gans, and Aphiwe Dyantyi shifts to the left wing to accommodate Katlego Letebele on the right.

Former Grey College prop Casper Badenhorst and ex-Selborne College scrumhalf Daimon O’Connel are set to make their Bulls debut off the bench.

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BULLS – 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Katlego Letebele, 13 Cornel Smit, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Zak Burger (c), 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 JJ Theron, 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Jean Erasmus, 2 Juann Else, 1 Dylan Smith.
Bench: 16 Esethu Mnebelele, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Casper Badenhorst, 19 Dylan de Leeuw, 20 Jaco Grobbelaar, 21 Marco Ferreira, 22 Daimon O’Connel, 23 PA van Niekerk.

Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images