The Bulls take on the Lions at Loftus with both teams coming off losses last weekend, the Bulls’ loss a bit heavier than that of the Lions, and both teams will want to hit back immediately and ensure they remain within touching distance of the leaders on the log.
Warwick Tecklenburg is the only change for the Bulls, coming in for the injured Deon Stegmann. They took a hammering at the hands of Western Province last weekend, and will want to ensure that the home ground advantage they have in this match counts for at least four points on the log.
The Lions have lost Josh Strauss to injury, and have made a number of changes with Alwyn Hollenbach returning to midfield and two new wings being named in Deon Helberg and Ruan Combrinck. Hendrik Roodt also returns to the tight five while Bandise Maku takes a break in favour of Callie Visagie in the front row.
Blue Bulls: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Francois Venter, 11 JJ Engelbrecht, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Ruan Snyman, 8 Dewald Potgieter (captain), 7 CJ Stander, 6 Warwick Tecklenburg, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Dawie Steyn.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Cornell Hess, 19 Jean Cook, 20 Rudi Paige, 21 Lionel Cronjé, 22 Jürgen Visser.
Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Deon Helberg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Ruan Combrinck, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Willie Britz, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (captain).
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Michael Rhodes, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Butch James, 22 Jaco Taute.

Come on Go Lions
Jantjies starts the game
Penalty Jantjies but misses
Jantjies with another attempt 50m out and over
Lions 3
Bulls 0
9min
Snyman scores for the Bulls
Convention missed
Bulls 5
Lions 3
13min
Looks like its going to be a long night for the Lions
Penalty Fouche
Bulls 8
Lions 3
17min
Lions looking terrible at the moment. Not getting any ball and the ball they do get they loose
Fouche having a great game at 10 for the Bulls. Keeping the Lions pinned down
Fouche’s up and under’s killing the Lions at the moment. Pin point accurate and great chasing
Helberg and Combrink struggling at the moment to cope with the up and under’s from the Bulls
Jantjies misses his 2nd attempt at goal
Fouche going for posts 59m away. Short
Fouche with another penalty but pushes it wide.
Bulls 8
Lions 3
37min
Sorry got dc. Lions won 32-23. Scoring 4 tries to 3
Hehe… We are 2nd after 1/2way… Who would’a figured? I hear the ex-champ Lions players got involved… It showed! Guys ended the game on a high! Just need Francois Pienaar in the management team!!!!
Who woulda thunk it? We were lucky in the 1st half but deserved the win after such an awesome 2nd half display!!!!
Well done boys!!!