Leinster name strong team for Bulls as Nienaber defends tour selections

There are three changes to the starting XV from the win over Cardiff Rugby at Aviva Stadium at the beginning of March.

RG Snyman takes a selfie with supporters after a Leinster open training session. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Jacques Nienaber has defended Leinster’s selection policy for their annual URC mini-tours to South Africa as the province bids to face the Bulls in Pretoria with Jordie Barrett, RG Snyman and Rabah Slimani named among nine Test players in the starting XV.

The Irish province has made the trip south of the equator at a similar time of year ever since the calendar returned to normal post-pandemic, and that has prompted a travelling squad devoid of their frontline Six Nations stars.