Boks send Van Staden back to Bulls

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wiehahn Herbst will start at prop and flank Marco van Staden will play off the bench when the Blue Bulls take on the Free State Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

Both players will make a first appearance in the Currie Cup for coach Pote Human in Round Two of the tournament.

Herbst was a late withdrawal and missed the opening match against Western Province last week due to the birth of his child, while Van Staden was part of the Springbok squad preparing for the Rugby Championship match against Australia and has been released for this clash.

Herbst takes over from Conraad van Vuuren and Van Staden takes the place on the bench of Roelof Smit.

Smit will start the match in place of injured Wihan Vosloo.

Lock Andries Ferreira will also make a first start for the Blue Bulls against a former province of his, replacing Lood de Jager, who has been recalled to the Springbok squad to face the Wallabies.

Blue Bulls: 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Tim Agaba, 7 Roelof Smit, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Andries Ferreira, 4 Ruan Nortje, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima.

Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Jean Droste, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Dylan Sage.

Date: Friday, July 19

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Kick-off: 19.15 (17.15 GMT)

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

Assistant referees: TBC

TMO: TBC