Depleted Dragons face Bulls as Hendricks mourned

Filo Tiatia took interim charge of Dragons in November before signing a multi-year contract in February

United Rugby Championship: Bulls v Dragons

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Date: Saturday, 17 May Kick-off: 14:00 BST

Coverage: Watch live S4C coverage via iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app. Highlights on the BBC Sport website and app.

Dragons will face Bulls in their final United Rugby Championship (URC) fixture on Saturday with more than 20 players missing through injury.

Head coach Filo Tiatia has recalled Joe Westwood at centre, Lloyd Evans at fly-half and Joe Davies is back at lock.

There are also positional switches for Angus O'Brien, who moves to full-back from 10 with Huw Anderson moving to wing from 15.

In the pack injured Rhodri Jones is replaced by Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths while Ryan Woodman switches from lock to take over from concussed Dan Lydiate with Shane Lewis-Hughes moving from blind to open-side.

Amid their injury woes, Dragons have also recruited Carmarthen Quins hooker Lewis Morgan and Llandovery prop Jamie Hughes on permit for potential debuts off the bench.

If Filo Tiatia's side fail to collect a match point in Pretoria they will equal the record for the worst URC league season with just nine points.

Tributes will be made at the game for ex-Bulls player Cornal Hendricks who died on Wednesday. The former South Africa wing - who made his Test debut for the Springboks against Wales in 2014 - suffered a heart attack aged 37.

There will be moment of silence before the match and a minute's applause at the 14th minute, to reflect the number worn by Hendricks. Bulls flags around the stadium will also be flown at half mast.

Bulls have not lost at Loftus Versfeld to an overseas opponent in URC since last season's final against Glasgow.

They go into round 18 second in the table already guaranteed a home quarter-final.

Bottom of the table Dragons have lost 16 straight league games since their only success of the campaign, when they beat Ospreys on the opening day.

The two sides have met on three previous occasions with the Bulls comfortably winning them all.

Tiatia said: "They are playing a really dominant style of rugby. That is their DNA, so we are under no illusion as to the test, but we want to finish strongly with the young players who are here.

"They play at altitude and the style is different to Stormers last week.

"Bulls are a physical team, brutality around contact, and it is a good challenge for us. It will be a big contest and we need to stay in the fight."

Bulls boss Jake White said: "Tomorrow will be an emotional encounter for sure because many of our players knew Cornal and others, like Willie [le Roux], were with him from the start of their careers to their international days.

"Whether we talk about it or try not, I am confident that the emotions will be high tomorrow because he was a player that was well-liked.

"This is a game where we want to do well. It would be naïve of us to think it will be an easy game, and we must make sure we play as well as we can, looking at the coming weeks. These types of opponents, sometimes, are the most dangerous because they play knowing they do not need to leave anything in the tank."

Bulls: Willie le Roux; Sebastian de Klerk, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Sergeal Petersen; Keagan Johannes, Zak Burger; Jan-hendrik Wessels, Akker van der Merwe, Mornay Smith, Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden, Kuyenzeka Nama Xaba, Ruan Nortje (capt), Cameron Hanekom.

Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Jannes Kirsten, Marcell Coetzee, Bernard van der Linde, Stedman Gans, Devon Williams.

Dragons: Angus O'Brien (co-capt); Harry Rees-Weldon, Joe Westwood, Aneurin Owen, Huw Anderson; Lloyd Evans, Rhodri Williams; Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, Brodie Coghlan, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, Ben Carter (co-capt), Ryan Woodman, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Lewis Morgan, Jamie Hughes, Paula Latu, Barny Langton-Cryer, Evan Minto, Che Hope, Ewan Rosser, Ashton Hewitt.

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen & AJ Jacobs (SARU)

TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)