Arendse, Moodie bolster Bulls touring group

They may be reeling at the wrong end of seven straight losses, but the Vodacom Bulls received a dollop of good news on Monday as two of their World Cup-winning Springboks returned to the touring squad for the upcoming fortnight in Europe.

The Bulls travel to Pau to face the French side in their final Investec Champions Cup pool game this weekend, and then onto Vodacom United Rugby Championship action against Edinburgh the week after, and have included no less than 15 Springboks in a very strong touring squad.

But the big news is the return of Springboks Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie - both of whom have been out with concussion as Johan Ackermann desperately looks for an answer to stop the losing streak.

Arendse has been missing since the Springboks tour of Europe in November and has been on the sidelines way too long, with the Bulls hoping that his return will spark some of the magic that has made him a favourite in Bulls and Bok jerseys.

Moodie also returned for a few games and was concussed in the Stormers game, and will make the trip along with the Bulls as they head abroad.

One Springbok missing is Gerhard Steenekamp, who is undergoing an operation on his thumb and will miss the tour.

But also returning to action is veteran Marcell Coetzee, who has overcome a rib injury, while SA under-20 star Cheswill Jooste is also on the flight.

Despite the strong number of Springboks, the Bulls are very aware that reputations count for little and they will need to show their worth on the field against a French side that are second in the Top 14 and beat Scarlets last weekend to go above the Bulls in the Champions’ Cup standings.

Up front, Sti Sithole joins the loosehead trio with Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Alulutho Tshakweni, while Johan Grobbelaar and Akker van der Merwe cover hooker. Wessels can cover if needed in the position as well.

YOUR touring squad to face Pau this weekend in the Champions Cup and Edinburgh next weekend in the VURC 🐂@Vodacom | @ChampionsCup | @URCOfficial_RSA #TheUnbreakableLine pic.twitter.com/0RX7IPi4xS
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) January 12, 2026

Wilco Louw headlines the tighthead trio with Francois Klopper returning from injury, while Cobus Wiese and Ruan Nortje are likely to start at lock, and Ruan Vermaak and Reinhardt Ludwig cover that position.

Coetzee’s return to the loose trio group means that the Bulls can choose from Marco van Staden, Coetzee, Elrigh Louw, Celimpilo Gumede, Jeandre Rudolph and Nizaam Carr for their pack.

The backline will be bolstered by both Arendse and Moodie, which opens up a few options for Ackermann in team selection this weekend.

PAU/Edinburgh tour group

1. Jan-Hendrik Wessels; Alulutho Tshakweni; Sti Sithole

2. Johan Grobbelaar; Akker van der Merwe;

3. Wilco Louw; Mornay Smith; Francois Klopper

4. Cobus Wiese; Ruan Vermaak

5. Ruan Nortje; Reinhardt Ludwig

6. Marco van Staden; Marcell Coetzee

7. Elrigh Louw; Mpilo Gumede

8. Jeandre Rudolph; Nizaam Carr

9. Embrose Papier; Zak Burger

10. Handre Pollard; Keagan Johannes