'Early days' says leaders' boss ahead of Edinburgh game
Bulls director of rugby Jake White is expecting "a very tough game" in Edinburgh on Friday as he tempered title expectations for his United Rugby Championship leaders.
"It is nice to be top of the log, but as I have said before, we have to learn from the past - Munster/Ulster were nowhere after five rounds last season, the Stormers were nowhere after round five in year one of the competition," he told his club website.
"It is still early days, so it is not a given that you will be there at the back end of the competition if you are at the top in the early parts of the competition. With 13 Scottish internationals in their starting XV, Edinburgh have massive amounts of experience."
South Africa prop Wilco Louw is the only survivor in the pack from Bulls' win away to Cardiff last Friday, while Johan Goosen replacing Chris Smith at fly-half is the only change among the backs.
"It's just normal rotation," White insisted. "We would like to keep guys fresh and also give guys opportunity because they have trained hard in the pre-season."
Hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Scotland-capped back Jaco van der Walt, who left Edinburgh this summer, are set to feature for the men in blue for the first time this season off the bench.
Bulls: Davon Williams, Sebastian de Klerk, Stedman Gans, david Kriel, Sergeal Petersen, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee (capt), Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom.
Replacements: Jan Hendrik Wessels, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Reinhardt Ludwig, Nizaam Carr, Keagan Johannes, Jaco van der Walt, Cycle Brink.
