Joost van der Westhuizen is fit again and will captain the Bulls side against a Fiji development team in Nandi on Thursday.

Van der Westhuizen has completely recovered from the injury that forced him to withdraw from the World Cup Sevens team and the Bulls practice matches up to now. The team named to play in the first tour match in Fiji has given an indication of who will take the field in the first Super 12 match against the Sharks on February 23.

Franco Smith is preferred to Boeta Wessels at flyhalf. Phil Pretorius has described Smith as a deadly defender and the Bulls coach believes this ability will be necessary against the Sharks.

According to Beeld, Pretorius has told Wessels he will get a chance in the second half of the tour match. The coach has selected Friedrich Lombard and Gavin Passens on the wings and their speed will boost the team against the Sharks.

Joe Esterhuysen and Danie van Schalkwyk will play in the centre, but Pretorius said he will have another look at Wynand Lourens when the team returns to Pretoria. Lourens was not included in the tour squad as he injured a thigh muscle.

Among the forwards, Pierre Ribbens will play tighthead prop. Ribbens has played regularly at loosehead, but prefers to play on the other side of the scrum now.

The loose trio of Johan Wasserman, Anton Leonard and Nicky van der Walt will play on Thursday, but Janneman Brand and Pierre Uys are pushing hard for places in the side.

The Bulls arrived in Australia on Tuesday and will travel to Fiji on Wednesday. Pretorius said that winning is not important on the tour. It's more important that the team adapts to the playing pattern, he said.

Bulls team: Marius Goosen; Gavin Passens, Joe Esterhuysen, Danie van Schalkwyk, Friedrich Lombard; Franco Smith, Joost van der Westhuizen (capt); Anton Leonard, Johan Wasserman, Nicky van der Walt, Victor Matfield, Ralf Schroeder, Pierre Ribbens, Naka Drotske, Frikkie Bosman. Substitutes: Jannie Brooks, Johan Human, Gerhard Laufs, Janneman Brand, Hakkies Husselmann, Boeta Wessels, Casper Steyn, Adrian Jacobs.