Moodie back for Bok-powered Bulls

Canan Moodie returns to a Vodacom Bulls lineup bolstered by several Springboks, including skipper Ruan Nortje, when they face Edinburgh in Saturday’s EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final.

Moodie, who has been sidelined since the start of March due to a head knock and resting protocols, is in line to feature off the bench in the clash at Hive Stadium.

He is one of 11 Boks selected by Bulls director of rugby Jake White in the match-day 23, along with Nortje and Cameron Hanekom, who start this week’s clash after playing off the wood in last week’s win in Bayonne.

Nortje replaces lock Reinhardt Ludwig, who joins Moodie and fellow World Cup winner Marco van Staden among the replacements, while Hanekom comes in at No 8 and Marcell Coetzee shifts to openside flanker. The backline remains unchanged.

MORE: Bulls set to break new ground in Europe

A huge opportunity awaits the Bulls in Edinburgh, as White’s charges stake a claim for a maiden semi-final spot in the Challenge Cup.

As the last South African team in the European showpiece, all eyes will be on the Pretoria outfit to continue flying the SA flag and keep the trophy in the Republic after the Sharks won the title last season.

The Herd are coming off four successive wins in all competitions and also beat Edinburgh 22-16 in September at Loftus, although Sean Everitt’s troops are fresh off two victories against the Dragons and Lions and have only lost two times at home in 2024-25.

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

Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images