Lock Grant Hattingh will start for the first time on tour when the Bulls take on the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday.
Hattingh replaces Victor Matfield, who is being rested in accordance with the South African Rugby Union agreement. The robust and versatile Hattingh, who can easily play on the flank as well, has been in good form for the Bulls and more than filled the gap when Matfield was sidelined with injury earlier on in the season. The Bulls seem to be spoilt for choice in the line-outs as they have the two best callers and jumpers in South Africa in Matfield and Hattingh. In the backline, Bulls coach Frans Ludeke named Jurgen Visser at fullback for the encounter. Visser will replace Jesse Kriel who has been named on the bench for this match, the first of two on Australian soil for the Bulls. Visser joined the squad on Monday in place of injured Jan Serfontein and with Kriel recovering from a knee contusion, Ludeke opted for the 30-times-capped fullback to start. This will be a first start at fullback for Visser since the opening week in February against the Stormers. Serfontein has been replaced by Burger Odendaal in the midfield. In the pack there is a return for Adriaan Strauss, who was rested last weekend, with Callie Visagie moving to the bench. Dean Greyling rotates with Trevor Nyakane at loosehead and Arno Botha swaps places with Jacques du Plessis at the side of the scrum in the other change to the pack. "We are well aware of the threat the Brumbies pose in many positions, so we realise that we will have to play to our full potential if we want to succeed in Canberra," Ludeke said. "The changes in the team are all within the squad set-up. "Jurgen [Visser] has played for us many times and will slot in with ease, while Burger [Odendaal] showed his worth earlier in the season. "We know that we need log points if we want this season to still mean something to us and the team will be going out there determined to achieve what we set out at the beginning of the season." Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Pierre Spies (captain), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Flip van de Merwe, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Dean Greyling.Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Werner Kruger, 19 Jacques du Plessis, 20 Pieter Labuschagne, 21 Jacques Louis Potgieter, 22 Travis Ismaiel, 23 Jesse Kriel. Date: Friday, May 29Venue: Canberra Stadium, CanberraKick-off: 19.40 (11.40 SA time; 09.40 GMT)Referee: Marius van der WesthuizenAssistant referees: Rohan Hoffmann, Ed MartinTMO: Ian Smith
