VODACOM BULLS V SARACENS
Loftus Versfeld
Heineken Champions Cup Match Day Programme
MATCH DAY TEAMS
VODACOM BULLS
STARTERS (15-1):
15. Kurt-Lee Arendse
14. Canan Moodie
13. Wandisile Simelane
12. Harold Vorster
11. David Jacobus Kriel
10. Chris Smith
9. Zak Burger
8. Elrigh Louw
7. Nizaam Carr
6. Marco van Staden
5. Ruan Nortjé (capt)
4. Ruan Vermaak
3. Mornay Smith
2. Johan Grobbelaar
1. Gerhard Steenekamp
IMPACT (16-23):
16. Bismarck Du Plessis
17. Dylan Smith
18. Francois Klopper
19. Janko Swanepoel
20. WJ Steenkamp
21. Embrose Papier
22. Johan Goosen
23. Lionel Mapoe
LYON
STARTERS:
15. Josh Hodge
14. Jack Nowell
13. Henry Slade (capt)
12. Solomone Kata
11. Olly Woodburn
10. Joe Simmonds
9. Sam Maunder
8. Sam Simmonds
7. Christ Tshiunza
6. Dave Ewers
5. Dafydd Jenkins
4. Jack Dunne
3. Harry Williams
2. Jack Innard
1. Scott Sio
IMPACT:
16. Jack Yeandle
17. James Kenny
18. Josh Iosefa-Scott
19. Jannes Kirsten
20. Greg Fisilau
21. Jack Maunder
22. Harvey Skinner
23. Rory O’Loughlin
WELCOME MESSAGE
A warm welcome to this Round 3 match in the 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup and a Happy New Year to all as we reach the business end of the tournament’s pool stage.
Following the historic introduction of the leading South African clubs, it comes as no surprise that the Cell C Sharks, Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers have already made a major impact and all remain in contention to book coveted places in the knockout stage.
With the top eight clubs in each pool guaranteed qualification, there’s an important incentive in that the four highest-ranked clubs in each pool will earn home matches in the Round of 16. In addition, the clubs which finish ninth and 10th in each pool will qualify for the Round of 16 of the EPCR Challenge Cup.
So, after what promises to be more world-class action this month, we’ll have a clearer idea of the pathway to the eagerly-anticipated Finals weekend at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium next May for which nearly 70,000 tickets have already been sold.
We are delighted to be joined on the journey to Dublin by our long-standing title partner, Heineken, by our official partners, DHL, IHG and Tissot, by our official supporters, Gilbert and Kappa, and also by our official airline partner in South Africa, Qatar Airways.
Our long-standing broadcast partners, BT Sport, beIN SPORTS and France Télévisions, continue to provide superb coverage of the Heineken Champions Cup in the UK, Ireland and France respectively, while SuperSport in South Africa, ITV and RTÉ in the UK and Ireland, S4C in Wales and FloRugby in the USA and Canada are already making valuable contributions to the growth of tournament.
We hope that you enjoy the match and best wishes to you, the fans, as well as to your club’s players and staff as we anticipate the joy and the occasional heartache that comes when qualification for the Heineken Champions Cup knockout stage is on the line!
Yours in rugby,
Dominic McKay,
EPCR Chairman
