AUSTRALIAN international Phil Kearns withdrew on Wednesday from the New South Wales Waratahs team who play the Bulls on Saturday. The hooker injured his knee in last weekend’s 36-30 win over the Chiefs which maintained the Waratahs’ unbeaten start to the series. Former ACT Brumbies hooker Tim Tavalea replaces Kearns and Mark Crick joins the replacements’ bench.
The teams comprise:
Northern Bulls: Marius Goosen, Grant Esterhuizen, Andre Snyman, Danie van Schalkwyk, Wim Meyer, Gavin Lawless, Stanley Raubenheimmer, Schutte Bekker (capt), Jannie Brooks, Nicky van der Walt, Krynauw Otto, Wium Basson, Jaco Espagh, Andries Truscott, Pierre Ribbens
NSW: Duncan McRae, Matt Dowling, Jason Jones-Hughes, Nathan Grey, Scott Staniforth, Christian Warner, Chris Whitaker, Tiaan Strauss, Stu Pinkerton, Michael Brial (capt), John Welborn, Tom Bowman, Andrew Blades, Tim Tavalea, Richard Harry