Bulls coach Frans Ludeke insists that despite 14 changes to his Bulls lineup, sure to provoke his Australian and New Zealand counterparts, the Super 14 rugby champions were not compromising the competition.

Having already sewn up a home semi-final, Ludeke named a second-string side on Wednesday to play South African rival the Stormers on Saturday in the last round of the regular season.

The selection is bound to anger Australian and New Zealand sides who could overtake the Stormers in the race for second place and a home semi in the final standings.

Australian's New South Wales Waratahs and ACT Brumbies and New Zealand sides Wellington and Canterbury can all still finish second if the Stormers lose, and Ludeke said the Bulls were not conceding their match.

"We have respect for the other sides in the competition but we have to run our own race," Ludeke told the Bulls website.

"I can assure you we are going to Newlands to be competitive.

"We had to rest some of our senior players, who have played all the matches this year and up to 960 minutes of rugby."

Springboks lock Bakkies Botha, who returned two weeks ago after nearly six months out injured, was named captain of a team which has two players making their Super 14 debuts.

"This isn't a B or C team," Botha said.

"We're playing the Stormers at Newlands and we feel as strong as any other Bulls team."

Wing Deon Helberg, a South Africa Sevens player, and flank Gerrit-Jan van Velze will play their first games at Super 14 level.

Fullback Tiger Mangweni and former Springboks center De Wet Barry are set for their first Super 14 appearances this season and there are a further four debutants on the replacements bench.

Flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter is the only player retained from last weekend's victory over Canterbury.

Waratahs chief executive Jim L'Estrange had threatened to protest to SANZAR, the body in charge of Super 14, if the Bulls made wholesale changes, saying resting too many players would not be in the spirit of the game.

The Stormers named their strongest lineup in a bid to stay in Cape Town for the semis.

Springboks wing Bryan Habana, fullback Joe Pietersen and prop Wicus Blaauw were all recalled after recovering from injuries.

Teams:

Bulls: Tiger Mangweni, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Stephan Dippenaar, De Wet Barry, Deon Helberg, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Heini Adams; Jaco Engels, Bandise Maku, Bees Roux, Flip van der Merwe, Bakkies Botha (captain), Derick Kuun, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Pedrie Wannenburg.

Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Dean Greyling, Fudge Mabeta, Okkie Kruger, Ruan Snyman, Francois Brummer, Stefan Watermeyer.

Stormers: Joe Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Jaque Fourie, Juan De Jongh, Bryan Habana, Peter Grant, Dewaldt Duvenage; Wicus Blaauw, Tiaan Liebenberg, Brok Harris, Adriaan Fondse, Andries Bekker, Schalk Burger (captain), Francois Louw, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: Deon Fourie, Eusebio Guinazu, Anton Van Zyl, Pieter Louw, Ricky Januarie, Willem De Waal, Tim Whitehead.

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