Bulls team: Four Springboks and new signings start as Johan Ackermann names powerful side for All Blacks showdown
Curwin Bosch is one of four Springboks included in the Bulls team to face the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld.
Johan Ackermann has named four Springboks in his Bulls starting line-up for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour match against the All Blacks on Saturday.
The team features new arrivals Thaakir Abrahams, Curwin Bosch, and Hanro Liebenberg, with the former pair making their debuts for the Bulls while the latter marks his return after a successful stint at Leicester Tigers.
Springboks flanker Marcell Coetzee captains the Bulls from the side of the scrum with Liebenberg and Jeandre Rudolph completing the loose trio. JF van Heerden and Ruan Vermaak start in the engine room with tighthead Francois Klopper, hooker Juann Else, and loosehead Alu Tshakweni packing down in the front-row.
Johan Ackermann names powerful team for All Blacks showdown
Embrose Papier starts at scrum-half, as he looks to continue the red-hot form that earned him a recall to the Springboks squad for the Nations Championship matches in July, where he scored a try against Scotland. Papier is joined by Bosch, who returned to South Africa after a two-year stint at French club Brive.
Harold Vorster has been a mainstay for the Bulls in the midfield and combines with Stedman Gans against the All Blacks, while new signing Abrahams starts on the right wing after joining the Pretoria club from Munster. Stravino Jacobs is on the left wing, with veteran Springboks full-back Willie Le Roux completing the run-on team.
Ackermann has opted for a traditional 5-3 split on the bench for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour match, with Hakeem Kunene earning a spot after his impressive Currie Cup performances after joining from the Sharks. He is joined by Paul de Wet and Katlego Letebele as the backline replacements, with Jaundre Schoeman, Sti Sithole, Khuta Mchunu, Reinhardt Ludwig, and Mpilo Gumede providing cover in the forwards.
In four previous meetings between the sides dating back to 1949, New Zealand have come out on top three times. The Bulls’ lone victory remains a famous one, with Northern Transvaal edging the tourists 29-27 in August 1976, a result that will mark its 50th anniversary almost to the day when the two sides meet again this weekend.
Bulls team v New Zealand
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Thaakir Abrahams, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Juann Else, 1 Alu Tshakweni
Replacements: 16 Jaundre Schoeman, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Katlego Letebele, 23 Hakeem Kunene
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Date: Saturday, 15 August 2026
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19:10 (local SAST), 18:10 (UK), 19:10 (France), 19:10 (South Africa), 03:10 (16 August, AEST), 05:10 (16 August, New Zealand), 14:10 (Argentina), 02:10 (16 August, JST), 13:10 (EDT)
How to watch: Sky Sports (UK and Ireland), Sky Sport / Sky Sport Now (New Zealand), SuperSport (South Africa), Stan Sport / Nine Sport (Australia), RugbyPass TV (USA), Premier Sports (Canada), WOWOW (Japan), ESPN Sur (Central/South America and Caribbean)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU) and Matthew Carley (RFU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)