Bulls load up on Bok firepower for Lions clash at Loftus

Hanro Liebenberg will captain the Bulls for the first time, while lock Cobus Wiese is in line to make his 50th appearance for the Pretoria side after being named on the bench.

The Bulls are looking to bounce back after last week's 26-22 defeat to Munster at Thomond Park, and Ackermann has responded with a vastly changed line-up featuring plenty of experience and firepower.

The Lions head to Pretoria in good form after opening their campaign with back-to-back bonus-point victories. They followed up their opening-round win with a 35-19 victory over the Ospreys.

It is only the second time the Lions have won their opening two URC matches, after also doing so in the 2024/25 season when they went on to win their first four games.

The Bulls, meanwhile, have won just once in their last four first-team matches, with their 47-13 victory over Zebre Parma in Round 1 their only success during that run.

They will take confidence from their strong home record, however, having won their last five URC matches at Loftus Versfeld since losing to the DHL Stormers in March.

The Bulls also have the edge in the recent head-to-head record, with the Lions winning just one of their last six URC meetings. That victory came at Loftus last season, when the Lions claimed a 43-33 win.

Bulls - 15. Willie le Roux, 14. Canan Moodie, 13. Stedman Gans, 12. Harold Vorster, 11. Sebastian de Klerk, 10. Curwin Bosch, 9. Paul de Wet, 8. Cameron Hanekom, 7. Hanro Liebenberg (captain), 6. Jeandre Rudolph, 5. JF van Heerden, 4. Ruan Vermaak, 3. Francois Klopper, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 1. Gerhard Steenekamp.

Replacements: 16. Marco van Staden, 17. Alu Tshakweni, 18. Khutha Mchunu, 19. Cobus Wiese, 20. Elrigh Louw, 21. Keagan Johannes, 22. Handre Pollard, 23. Cheswill Jooste. 

READ MORE: All Blacks name team for Bledisloe opener with Damian McKenzie to start at flyhalf