Vodacom Bulls team to face Cell C Sharks in Polkwane

/in ,

Vodacom Bulls coach, John Mitchell, named an exciting 26 man squad for the trip to Polokwane, but has not included Lood de Jager, Jesse Kriel, Handre Pollard or Warrick Gelant, who all toured with the Springboks to Europe in November.

There will also be a return to action for former Springbok captain, Adriaan Strauss. The hooker made a successful comeback to rugby for the Barbarians in November last year after a lay-off following the 2017 Vodacom Super Rugby season.

The match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium kicks off at 18h00 on Saturday.

The squad for Polokwane is: Divan Rossouw, Travis Ismaiel, Johnny Kotze, Burger Odendaal (c), Jade Stighling, Manie Libbok, Embrose Papier, Hanro Liebenberg, Thembelani Bholi, Marco van Staden, Aston Fortuin, Ruben van Heerden, Frans van Wyk, Adriaan Strauss, Lizo Gqoboka. Replacements: Jaco Visagie, Pierre Schoeman, Conraad van Vuuren, Eli Snyman, Jano Venter, Roelof Smit, Andre Warner, Marnitz Boshoff, Franco Naude, Jamba Ulengo, Duncan Matthews.

 

Vodacom Blue Bulls Team to Face Emirates Lions

Boom Prinsloo will lead the Vodacom Blue Bulls team that will travel to Johannesburg to face the Emirates Lions in a warm-up match at Emirates Airline Park that kicks-off at 15h00.

Coach David Manual included a number of players with Vodacom Super Rugby experience in the squad, including the likes of Ulrich Beyers, Dries Swanepoel, Abongile Nonkontwana and Edgar Marutlulle, but will also give playing opportunities to a number of exciting youngsters that excelled in the Vodacom Blue Bulls age group teams last year.

The squad to travel to Johannesburg is: Ulrich Beyers, Irvin Ali, Dries Swanepoel, Heino Bezuidenhout, Andell Loubser, Tony Jantjies, Ginter Smuts, Boom Prinsloo (c), Rickert Korff, Shaun Adendorff, Abongile Nonkontwana, Ewan Coetzee, Matthys Basson, Edgar Marutlulle, Dewald Maritz. Replacements: Nqoba Mxoli, John-Roy Jenkinson, Simphiwe Matanzima, Thomas Meyer, Pieter Diergaardt, Adre Smit, Oderich Mouton, Vaughen Isaacs, Lian du Toit, Garrick Matthews, Jerome Bossr, Christiaan Strydom, Earll Douwrie, Gareth Heidtmann.

VODACOM BULLS ANNOUNCE EXCITING 38 MAN SQUAD

/in ,

Vodacom Bulls head coach, John Mitchell, on Monday named 38 players as well the leadership for the 2018 Vodacom Super Rugby season. The coach named midfielder, Burger Odendaal and loose forward, Nic de Jager, as co-captains.

 

The squad is made up out of 21 forwards and 17 backs, with 11 of those being Springboks and furthermore includes a host of Junior Springboks.  Springbok Sevens forward Tim Agaba has also been included and will join the squad after the Blitzboks return from tournaments in Sydney and Hamilton.

 

Only a handful of players do not have any Vodacom Super Rugby experience, among those outside back Divan Rossouw, midfielder JT Jackson, flyhalf Manie Libbok, scrumhalf Embrose Papier and lock Aston Fortuin.

 

The Vodacom Bulls will be involved in 2 warmup matches this weekend as they take on the Cell C Sharks in Polokwane on Saturday at 18h00, and the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg earlier at 15h00.

“We have made tremendous progress with our processes over the last couple of months and we will be ready for whatever comes our way during Super Rugby 2018,” said Mitchell

 

“I don’t want to make any promises on how the team will perform this year, we will be solely focussed on the process.  It’s about marginal gains for us, stacking good stuff on good stuff daily as we continue to ensure excellence.  It’s not about the end but rather the daily effort combined at the end.  Our purpose is to fill Loftus and put smiles on people’s faces.  We will be working very hard to achieve that.”

 

“I am confident that we have worked smartly and laid a solid foundation. This squad will develop and improve and one needs to be realistic about it, but we are all in agreement about the way forward.  We will be connected, we want to be respected and not just liked and therefore one of our main focus areas during this process will be to remain honest and never forget to enjoy it and have fun.  We want to serve our fans, supporters, shareholders and sponsors – we want to earn back their respect and get the Vodacom Bulls to bind us together as one.”

 

The Vodacom Bulls Super Rugby squad is:

Outside Backs: Warrick Gelant, Duncan Matthews, Travis Ismaiel, Jamba Ulengo, Jade Stighling, Divan Rossouw.

Midfielders: Burger Odendaal, JT Jackson, Francois Brummer, Jesse Kriel, Johnny Kotze

Flyhalves: Handre Pollard, Marnitz Boshoff, Manie Libbok

Halfbacks: Ivan van Zyl, Andre Warner, Embrose Papier

Loose Forwards: Roelof Smit, Ruan Steenkamp, Hendre Stassen, Hanro Liebenberg, Jannes Kirsten, Nic de Jager, Tim Agaba.

Locks: Jason Jenkins, Ruben van Heerden, RG Snyman, Lood de Jager, Aston Fortuin.

Props: Pierre Schoeman, Conraad van Vuuren, Frans van Wyk, Matthys Basson, Lizo Gqoboka, Trevor Nyakane.

Hookers: Jaco Visagie, Adriaan Strauss, Edgar Marutlulle

 

NOTE: The BBCo would also like to confirm that we have parted ways with loose forward Jacques Potgieter after lengthy discussions on his future. Potgieter has decided not to partake in Vodacom Super Rugby during 2018, and rather take a sabbatical to focus on his family and spend time with his wife, boy and soon to be born twins.  We would like to sincerely thank him for his contributions to the team both on and off the field, and wish him well with his future endeavours. He will make an announcement later in the year regarding his future.