Serfontein, Greyling back for Blue Bulls

Jan Serfontein will start at inside centre for the Vodacom Blue Bulls when they take on the Xerox Golden Lions in an Absa Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. 

Serfontein earns a first start in the competition and teams up with Dries Swanepoel in the midfield, swopping places with Burger Odendaal, who moves to the bench.

Prop Dean Greyling is also fit again following a knee strain and he slots back into the starting line-up, replacing Pierre Schoeman, who swings back into Under-21 action. It will be Greyling's 50th appearance for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the Absa Currie Cup competition. 

Another player returning is Werner Kruger, who will play off the bench and replaces Dayan van der Westhuizen, with theyoung prop also moving back to the Vodacom Blue Bulls Under-21's. 

In the third change to the squad that fronted up against the Toyota Free State last weekend, Deon Stegmann returns from a cheekbone injury in place of Jannes Kirsten.

"We have a massive challenge this weekend. The Lions have played great rugby for a while now and is not top of the log for nothing. We are building nicely as the season progresses and we are starting to find our feet and each other, but we are far from the finished product. It will mean that we will have to be at our very best to stay in this one," Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais said.

Vodacom Blue Bulls captain Lappies Labuschagne said the team are keen to play in this match. 

"We have the intensity of a derby match, but also the knowledge that we are playing the team on form in the competition. These types of matches are the ones that test character and we will have toshow we have what it takes. " 

The team is: Warrick Gelant, Travis Ismaiel, Dries Swanepoel, Jan Serfontein, Jamba Ulengo, Tian Schoeman, Francois Hougaard, Arno Botha, Lappies Labuschagne (c), Roelof Smit, Marvin Orie, Jacques du Plessis, Marcel van der Merwe, Bandise Maku, Dean Greyling. Replacements: Jaco Visagie, Werner Kruger, RG Snyman, Deon Stegmann, Ivan van Zyl, Louis Fouché, BurgerOdendaal.

Notes:

- Tian Schoeman is the leading points' scorer in the competition with 86 points (one try, 15 conversions and 17 penalties. Golden Lions ace Marnitz Boshoff is second with 74. 

- Jamba Ulengo is the leading try scorer in the competition (six) alongside Golden Lions flanker Kwagga Smith. 

- Dean Greyling will play his 50th match for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the Absa Currie Cup competition.