PRETORIA – Centre Burger Odendaal on Wednesday was appointed captain for the Blue Bulls Currie Cup campaign.
The Bulls play their first Currie Cup match against Western Province on Saturday in Cape Town.
Cornal Hendricks, who made a return to rugby in the Super Rugby tournament, will play in the competition for the first time since 2015.
Bulls coach Pote Human will also call on Embrose Papier, Ivan van Zyl, Marnitz Boshoff and Roelof Smit, who have all donned the green and gold.
A number of former Blitzboks will also add to their effort, including Rosko Specman, Dylan Sage and Tim Agaba, while Stedman Gans has also joined up with the squad.
Former Sharks flanker, Wian Vosloo, also joined from Durban, while lock Andries Ferreira returns to his old stomping ground at Loftus Versfeld.
Wiehahn Herbst will also debut for the Bulls, following a long career with the Sharks and Ulster.
Springbok lock Lood de Jager has recovered from his shoulder injury and it is expected that he will get game time in the Currie Cup before he is called up for national duty.
Burger Odendaal of the Bulls during the 2019 Super Rugby campaign. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
The Bulls Currie Cup training squad:
Fullbacks: Divan Rossouw, Earll Douwrie.
Wings: Cornal Hendricks, Rosko Specman, Jade Stighling.
Centres: Burger Odendaal, Dylan Sage, Johnny Kotze, Stedman Gans.
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok, Marnitz Boshoff.
Scrumhalves: Embrose Papier, Ivan van Zyl, Andre Warner.
Loose forwards: Tim Agaba, Fred Eksteen, Wian Vosloo, Jaco Bezuidenhout, Ruan Steenkamp, Eduan Lubbe, Roelof Smit.
Locks: Jean Drotste, Andries Ferreira, Ruan Nortje, Adri Smith, Marius Verwey.
Props: Wiehahn Herbst, Conraad van Vuuren, Madot Mabokela, Simphiwe Matanzima, Matthys Basson, Dayan van der Westhuizen.
Hookers: Jaco Visagie, Johan Grobbelaar.