Bulls v Highlanders: Teams

Flanker Dewald Potgieter has been handed his first start of the season for Saturday's visit of the Highlanders.

Potgieter will join fit-again Pierre Spies in the starting back-row at the Loftus Versfeld with Danie Rossouw moving to the second row and Flip van der Merwe dropping to the bench.

Prop Bees Roux had been due to join van der Merwe among the replacements but he has been ruled out after he cut his eye against the scrumming machine. As a result Rossouw de Klerk is promoted from the Vodacom Cup side.

Jamie Mackintosh has been handed the captaincy for the Highlanders' final match of their South African tour.

Mackintosh has been handed the reins as regular skipper Jimmy Cowan has flown home after he was ruled out the match.

The All Blacks scrum-half dislocated a finger during his side's 33-0 defeat to the Stormers - and has been replaced in the squad by his brother Scott, who has been named on the bench, with Sean Romans starting at No.9.

Suspensions to Michael Hobbs and Adam Thomson means Mat Berquist and Steven Setephano come into the starting XV.

Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Derick Kuün, 5 Victor Matfield (capt), 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha, 1 Gürthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Deon Stegmann, 20 Pedrie Wannenburg, 21 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22 Jaco van der Westhuyzen.

Highlanders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Kenny Lynn, 12 Jason Shoemark, 11 Fetu'u Vainikolo, 10 Mat Berquist, 9 Sean Romans, 8 Steven Setephano, 7 Alando Soakai, 6 Tim Boys, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 3 Chris King, 2 Jason Macdonald, 1 Jamie Mackintosh (c).
Replacements: 16 Jason Rutledge, 17 Bronson Murray, 18 Hayden Triggs, 19 Josh Hardie, 20 Scott Cowan, 21 Robbie Robinson, 22 tbc.