Specman, Hendricks to start against Emirates Lions in warm-up

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New signings Rosko Specman and Cornal Hendricks will start on the wings for the Vodacom Bulls when they open their warm-up campaign for the Vodacom Super Rugby competition in a friendly match against the Emirates Lions in Pretoria on Saturday.

Specman concluded his sevens duties with the Blitzboks in December and Hendricks joined the Pretoria side a month earlier after medical clearance. They will add some attacking punch to the team named by Head Coach, Pote Human, for this opening match, starting at 15h00 on the Loftus B field.

Another newcomer in the set-up is Marco Jansen van Vuren, who last year played for the Emirates Lions before a short stint with the SA Rugby Sevens Academy, while Muller Uys will also start. Uys, a former Junior Springbok, arrived from DHL Western Province, where he played age group rugby last year.

“It is a long season, with no June window to interrupt the proceedings, so it will be important to have all available players fit and ready when needed,” says Human.

“A number of the guys starting this weekend will have the opportunity to show why they should be in the squad. We are all eager to see how the new guys do, but also to get the season going.”

The starting team is: Earll Dowrie, Cornal Hendricks, Franco Naude, JT Jackson, Rosko Specman, Manie Libbok, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Muller Uys, Thembelani Bholi, Ruan Steenkamp. Eli Snyman, Ruan Nortje, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Corniel Els, Simphiwe Matanzima.

Finishers: Johan Grobbelaar, Matthys Basson, Conrad van Vuuren, Tim Agaba, Nic de Jager, Ivan van Zyl, Tinus de Beer, Jay-Cee Nel, Jade Stighling, Divan Rossouw.

Daan Human to join #BullsFamily in shared capacity

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Former Springbok prop and current Toyota Cheetahs scrum coach, Daan Human, will be co-opted in the Vodacom Bulls coaching staff in a unique first for South African rugby.

Human will assist the Vodacom Bulls as scrum coach in the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament two days every week, the remainder of the period he will spend with the Toyota Cheetahs in their Guinness PRO14 campaign.

Coach Pote Human expressed his delight at having a man of Human’s calibre at his disposal:  “I firmly believe that Daan will pay a major role in taking us forward.  The great work he has done at the Toyota Cheetahs is obvious to see, and we are looking forward to him joining the #BullsFamily.”

Xander Janse van Rensburg, high-performance manager:  “This arrangement is a bold step for rugby in South Africa, and more importantly it shows the willingness of the teams to improve the game in the country.  We must commend the Toyota Cheetahs for their enthusiasm and open-mindedness towards making this possible.”

“The agreement with the Vodacom Bulls is unique in South Africa and for the promotion of the performance of teams in South Africa.  To have a scrum coach like Daan Human in both entities is a positive movement in the interest of rugby.” Said Harold Verster, Managing Director of the Free State Cheetahs (Pty) Ltd.

The Toyota Cheetahs are proud of the expertise that is developed here and the opportunities created, which are valuable for rugby in South Africa and abroad.  Many experts have grown their expertise at Free State Rugby, for example; Rassie Erasmus, Jacques Nienaber, Niel Powell, Brendan Venter, Rory Duncan, Pine Pienaar, Pote Human and also Daan Human, which is now being applied at the highest levels in world rugby. ” Said Franco Smith, Toyota Cheetahs Director of Rugby.

 

Daan Human se dienste word met Vodacom Bulle gedeel.

 As ‘n unieke eerste in Suid-Afrikaanse rugby, sal die dienste van die voormalige Springbok stut en huidige Toyota Cheetahs skrum afrigter, Daan Human, met die Vodacom Bulle gedeel word.

Human sal vir twee dae ‘n week die Vodacom Bulle as skrum afrigter in die Vodacom Super Rugby toernooi bystaan, waarna hy vir die res van die tyd by die Toyota Cheetahs sal wees ter voorbereiding van hul Guinness PRO14 veldtog.

Die afrigter van die Bulle, Pote Human is verheug  om ‘n man van Human se kaliber tot sy beskikking te hê:  “Ek glo vas daarin dat Daan ‘n groot rol sal speel om ons vorentoe te vat.  Die goeie werk wat hy by die Toyota Cheetahs gedoen het is duidelik sigbaar, en ons sien uit daarna om hom in die Bulle se familie te verwelkom.”

Xander Janse van Rensburg, hoë prestasie bestuurder:  “Hierdie ooreenkoms is ‘n groot stap vir rugby in Suid-Afrika, en meer belangrik, dit wys die bereidwilligheid van spanne om die spel in Suid-Afrika te verbeter.  Ons wil die Toyota Cheetahs prys vir hul entoesiasme en openhartigheid om die proses moontlik te maak. “

“Die samewerkingsooreenkoms met die Vodacom Bulle is uniek aan Suid-Afrika en is ter bevordering van die spel peil van spanne in Suid-Afrika.  Om ‘n skrumafrigter soos Daan Human in beide entitete aan te wend is ‘n positiewe beweging in belang van rugby.”  Het Harold Verster, Besturende Direkteur van die Vrystaat Cheetahs (Edms) Bpk gesê.

“Die Toyota Cheetahs is trots op die kundigheid wat hier ontwikkel word en geleenthede wat hier geskep word, wat baie vir rugby in Suid-Afrika en elders beteken.  Talle deskundiges het hul kundigheid by Vrystaat Rugby opgebou, nl. Rassie Erasmus, Jacques Nienaber, Niel Powell, Brendan Venter, Rory Duncan, Pine Pienaar, Pote Human en ook Daan Human wat nou op die hoogste vlakke in wêreld rugby toegepas word.” Het Franco Smith, Toyota Cheetahs se Direkteur van Rugby gesê.

BULLS FAMILY CONFIRM VODACOM SUPER RUGBY COACHING STAFF

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Following the announcement of POTE HUMAN as Vodacom Bulls HEAD COACH a few weeks ago, the Blue Bulls Company would like to now confirm the following positions that will make up his support team going into the 2019 season.

CHRIS ROSSOUW is the first of the new faces at Loftus that will bolster Human’s support crew. Rossouw, brother of Pieter Rossouw also a former assistant coach at Loftus, brings his expertise as BACKLINE AND ATTACK coach. The flyhalf spent the bulk of his playing career at Western Province and the Stormers between 1997 to 2005, before heading abroad to RC Toulonnais for three years. He returned to South Africa in 2008 and finished his playing career with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. He started his coaching career in 2012 at the University of Stellenbosch where he spent 5 years, working his way from assistant coach to head coach, specialising with team attack and the backs. Later in 2016, he headed back to Cape Town serving as an assistant coach to the WP under 21s, winning that title in 2017. In 2017 he was also appointed as an assistant coach by the Namibian Rugby Union (Team Attack, Kicking and Exit Strategy, and Backs) for the World Rugby Nations Cup, before moving to SAS Rugby International Institute as a head coach between 2017 and 2018.

An announcement regarding the newly appointed BBCo SCRUM AND MAUL SPECIALIST COACH will be made shortly.

Loftus legend ANTON LEONARD steps into the role of LINEOUT SPECIALIST. Leonard played for the Vodacom Bulls between 2000 and 2008, leading the team with distinction during that period, and was also part of the winning Super Rugby team in 2007. The hard-running No8 also donned the green and gold on two occasions. Leonard started his coaching career at the Griquas in 2010 as a forwards coach, and later moved back to Pretoria to the join the coaching staff at Loftus in 2015.

Young HAYDEN GROEPES continues his rise within the ranks of the BBCo High Performance division. He will assume the role of SKILLS COACH AS WELL AS KICKING AND KICKING STRATEGY. As a player, he started his career at the Western Province moving on to Boland, before making his way to Pretoria in 2010. The hard running and illusive fullback got his first taste of coaching and management as a technical analyst at Loftus in 2012.

Stalwart JOHN-WILLIAM MEYER started his coaching career as a Technical Advisor at UP Tuks, and moved to the BB Co in 2011, working his way up from the junior ranks into the Vodacom Super Rugby management team. Meyer retains the role of HEAD TECHNICAL & PERFORMANCE ANALYST going into the new season.

The BBCo are also excited to welcome back PINE PIENAAR in the role of DEFENCE COACH. Pienaar is no stranger at Loftus, spending seven years between 2011 and 2017 within the coaching division,
working as an assistant coach specialising in defence for all the teams across the BBCo, and even heading up the Currie Cup team. He started his professional career in rugby in 2006 with the Free State Cheetahs as their Director of Junior rugby and coach. He worked as a head coach for their U21s, Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup teams, and was also responsible for the recruitment and contracting of junior players. In 2018 he accepted the role of Director of Sport at Waterkloof High School and consulted to the Cheetahs on all levels from Pro14 to the juniors, including the Varsity Cup team. Pienaar also consulted to the Kubota Spears in Japan in 2018, advising coaches on their defensive principles and structures. Pienaar is a strong character that fully understands the inner workings of the ‘Blou Masjien’ and will no doubt be vital to the campaign in 2019.

The BBCo are also looking forward to going back to our tested formula that ensures a similar brand of rugby is played throughout the ranks at Loftus, from the juniors all the way up to the Super Rugby team. This will be one of the vital tasks and roles high on the list of newly appointed DIRECTOR OF RUGBY, ALAN ZONDAGH.

The #BullsFamily has always been privileged with some amazing leaders on the field, and this year will be no different as Springbok lock LOOD DE JAGER puts on the CAPTAINS ARMBAND. De Jager’s sterling start to the 2018 season was cut short with a pectoral tear. The big lock was quick to appoint himself as an unspoken team assistant during his recovery, and remained close to the team and management contributing in any way possible… just one little example of his commitment, dedication and overall leadership. He will be deputised by Springbok flyhalf HANDRE POLLARD, who is also no doubt a shining example of the leadership within the #BullsFamily.

Head coach Pote Human on his leaders: “We’ve had some great leaders at Loftus, and often worked with a core group of guys that contributed to the leadership. We are once again spoilt for choice with guys like Burger Odendaal, Hanro Liebenberg, Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Brits, Ruan Steenkamp, Travis Ismaiel and Jesse Kriel to mention a few. However, Lood has grown into an inspirational leader, even during a time when he didn’t play much rugby, and I am positive that he will have the full support of everybody at Loftus.”

The remainder of the BBCo High-Performance coaching and management teams will be confirmed soon.