Edinburgh Rugby Prepared for Challenge Against Vodacom Bulls

Matt Scott and Mark Bennett are set to renew their midfield partnership for Edinburgh Rugby as they gear up to face the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon. This pair was first seen together nine and a half years ago during Scotland‘s 2015 Six Nations campaign. The return of Scott and Bennett to the starting lineup follows the absence of Matt Currie and Mosese Tuipulotu due to hamstring injuries, providing the team with a wealth of experience on the field. Head Coach Sean Everitt emphasized the importance of this experienced duo in the team’s composition.

Speaking ahead of the match, Everitt said, “We’ve been able to have a consistent line-up after the first game. There are a couple of small injuries, however, the players in the side deserve their shots, with Magnus and Matt both putting in good displays last week.” Magnus Bradbury also makes a return to the team, replacing Ben Muncaster, who is sidelined with a hip injury, thereby reinforcing the lineup with additional experience from his past appearances.

Edinburgh will face a challenging game against the Pretoria-based Vodacom Bulls, who have a recent history of strong performances. The Bulls, absent from last weekend’s URC opener due to their domestic Currie Cup commitments, have appeared in both the 2022 and 2024 URC Finals. The South African team boasts internationally recognized talents, including winger Kurt-Lee Arendse, second-row Ruan Nortje, prop Gerhard Steenekamp, and back-row Elrigh Louw. Nortje and Louw have recently been named co-captains for their team.

The substitute bench for Edinburgh has been strengthened with the addition of back-rower Tom Dodd and winger Ross McCann. These changes are in anticipation of the contest against a Bulls side that has featured prominently in South Africa’s Rugby Championship lineup.

Edinburgh’s lineup for the clash includes: W Goosen; D Graham, M Bennett, M Scott, D van der Merwe; R Thompson, A Price; P Schoeman, D Cherry, P Hill, M Sykes, G Gilchrist, J Ritchie, H Watson, M Bradbury. Substitutes comprise E Ashman, B Venter, D Rae, J Hodgson, T Dodd, B Vellacott, B Healy, R McCann. Several players remain unavailable due to various injuries, including Mosese Tuipulotu, Matt Currie, and Ben Muncaster, among others.

The Bulls have integrated their top players following the pause for the Currie Cup final, which saw the Sharks defeat the Lions, ensuring a strong competitive edge in their upcoming URC challenge.