Big Marcell Coetzee joins #BullsFamily

/in ,

The Blue Bulls Company is excited to announce the signing of 29-year-old Springbok loose forward Marcell Coetzee, effective July 2021.

 

Coetzee has penned a three year deal and returns to South Africa after five seasons with GUINNESS PRO16 club Ulster where he quickly became a fan favourite and mainstay in the starting line-up. The former Port Natal High School scholar also represented the Cell C Sharks in Vodacom Super Rugby and the Currie Cup before a short stint with Honda Heat in the Japanese Top League before moving to PRO16.

 

Jake White, director of rugby at the BBCo, “Marcell is a phenomenal player and any team in the world would be ecstatic to have a player of his calibre joining its structures. He has grown from strength to strength over the years, and is currently playing some of the best rugby of his life. He’s excited about being back in South Africa, and making Loftus his home.”

Potgieter to start against Cell C Sharks

/in ,

Marnus Potgieter will earn his first start of the Carling Currie Cup on the right wing when the Vodacom Bulls take on the Cell C Sharks on Saturday, 12 December 2020.

Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White, has made two positional changes to the backline with David Kriel and Kurt-Lee Arendse reverting to fullback and left wing respectively.

In the first of two changes to the forwards, Ruan Nortje returns at lock with Sintu Manjezi providing cover from the bench. The second sees Jacques van Rooyen getting back into the number 1 jumper after serving his one week ban for a red card against DHL Western Province.

Schalk Erasmus makes a welcomed return as the replacement hooker and will earn his Vodacom Bulls debut in the Carling Currie Cup should he take the field. Young Mornay Smith is also expected to earn his first cap of the season as front row cover.

The final change amongst the replacements is Marco Jansen van Vuren as the utility back option.

“The Sharks have been the in-form team from earlier this year and will be looking to get one over us. Durban is never an easy place to play and coupled with the humidity our job becomes that much harder. However, we are confident in our style of play and we know exactly what we need to do come Saturday,” said White.

Kick-off is 19:00 and the match will be televised on the SuperSport Grandstand and Rugby channels.

Vodacom Bulls: 15. David Kriel, 14. Marnus Potgieter, 13. Stedman Gans, 12. Cornal Hendricks, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10. Morné Steyn, 9. Ivan van Zyl, 8. Duane Vermeulen (c), 7. Arno Botha, 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Walt Steenkamp, 3. Trevor Nyakane, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 1. Jacques van Rooyen.

Replacements: 16. Schalk Erasmus, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Sintu Manjezi, 20. Nizaam Carr, 21. Embrose Papier, 22. Chris Smith, 23. Marco Jansen van Vuren.

Vodacom Bulls ring changes for Toyota Cheetahs

/in ,

Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White, has made several changes to his matchday squad which sees the depth of the backline being tested, with the forwards also sporting a few new faces.

Kurt-Lee Arendse and David Kriel switch to fullback and right wing respectively with Marco Jansen van Vuren earning his first start on the left wing.

There is a new halfback pairing as Morné Steyn returns to flyhalf while Embrose Papier will be manning his inside channel at scrumhalf.

Amongst the forwards, Sintu Manjezi will start his first match after several appearances off the bench while the front row sees two changes at prop with Marcel van der Merwe and Gerhard Steenekamp getting a start.

The bench has seen changes as well with Jan-Hendrik Wessels on the brink of making his Vodacom Bulls and Carling Currie Cup debut as a replacement prop. Trevor Nyakane and Ruan Nortje will provide cover at prop and lock.

Marnus Potgieter is also set for his competition and team debut, as he rounds out the backline replacements alongside Ivan van Zyl and Chris Smith.

“The Cheetahs are the only team to have beaten us in the last round, so we are truly looking forward to this one. I’m also excited about the changes we have made to our team, and I’m keen to see our new combinations,” said White.

Vodacom Bulls: 15. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14. David Kriel, 13. Stedman Gans, 12. Cornal Hendricks, 11. Marco Jansen van Vuren, 10. Morné Steyn, 9. Embrose Papier, 8. Duane Vermeulen (c), 7. Arno Botha, 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Walt Steenkamp, 4. Sintu Manjezi, 3. Marcel van der Merwe, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 1. Gerhard Steenekamp.

Replacements: 16. Corniel Els, 17. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18. Trevor Nyakane, 19. Ruan Nortje, 20. Nizaam Carr, 21. Ivan van Zyl, 22. Chris Smith, 23. Marnus Potgieter.