Vodacom Bulls honour local clubs with special training session this Thursday

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The Vodacom Bulls will, on Thursday, honour the role of club rugby with all players training in their local club colours ahead of the weekend’s Carling Currie Cup match against the Sigma Lions. The Tshwane-based side has continuously expressed the importance of club rugby in contributing to the success of the professional setup.

With the domestic World Sports Betting (WSB) Carlton League going into its second round of matches this weekend, and a number of Vodacom Bulls contracted players set to feature in the matches once again, the players will train in their club kit on Thursday.

“This is a good gesture by our professional side as they pay homage to our clubs who form a crucial part of our pipeline,” said Blue Bulls Rugby Union (BBRU) president, Willem Strauss.

“The synergy between the Vodacom Bulls and our clubs has contributed to ensuring that our club system is among the best in the country. This has resulted in our leagues attracting broadcasters and commercial partners.

“Very few leagues can boast having their clubs featuring as many professional players as we see in this region. This is part of the reason why the World Sports Betting Carlton League is arguably the premier domestic club competition in South Africa.”

Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, also commended the role clubs and the World Sports Betting Carlton League play as a pipeline for the professional side. “We see a strong club structure as absolutely crucial in creating a strong, healthy and competitive professional setup as well,” he said.

“The WSB Carlton League and our local clubs have been great in affording a number of our players quality game time while also producing a number of players who have graduated to the professional team. It is also great that each of our players is assigned to a club.

“It is important that these two structures continue to work hand-in-hand to grow the game of rugby and ensure continued success of our clubs and the Vodacom Bulls.”

The WSB Carlton League will feature some quality matches this weekend, with he pick of the games being a clash between reigning champions, ABE Midas Naka Bulls, and back-to-back Varsity Cup title-holders, UP Tuks. The match will be televised on SABC.

Members of the media are invited to the training session at 14h00 on Thursday where they will have an opportunity to take photographs, view the training session and also interview selected players.

CARLING CURRIE CUP: Strong Vodacom Bulls team for Windhoek Draught Griquas clash

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The Vodacom Bulls have selected a strong team to take on Windhoek Draught Griquas in a crucial Carling Currie Cup encounter at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow.

The side from Tshwane sits at the top of the Carling Currie Cup table and will be out to retain their log-leading status ahead of the unbeaten Toyota Cheetahs as well as the Cell C Sharks.

The Vodacom Bulls will be expecting a strong challenge from the Windhoek Draught Griquas, who will be looking to turn around the result from the previous fixture between the two sides when the men in blue claimed an emphatic 27-53 victory away from home in Kimberley in March.

The Vodacom Bulls have reinforced their arsenal with personnel who have been consistent performers for the side in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.

“We have no doubt that we have a very tough fixture this weekend against a Windhoek Draught Griquas side that has shown what they are capable of. They are always a tough side to beat and we are certain that they will come out guns blazing this weekend,” said Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, ahead of the match.

“We are trying to have a good balance in this team, as evidenced by our selection. We have given a few of the guys who have been playing Vodacom URC some time out while others we will continue to add value to the Carling Currie Cup.”

The match will kick off at 17h00 and it will be televised on SuperSport.

The Vodacom Bulls team to take on the Windhoek Draught Griquas is:

STARTERS (15-1): Canan Moodie, Stravino Jacobs, Cornal Hendricks, Harold Vorster, Madosh Tambwe, Chris Smith, Embrose Papier; WJ Steenkamp, Cyle Brink, Arno Botha, Reinhardt Ludwig, Walt Steenkamp, Robert Hunt, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Lizo Gqoboka.

IMPACT (16-23): Schalk Erasmus, Simphiwe Matanzima, Dylan Smith, Ruan Nortje, Muller Uys, Keagan Johannes, Juan Mostert, Stedman Gans.

CARLING CURRIE CUP: Strong onslaught expected from Windhoek Draught Griquas in Carling Currie Cup clash

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The Vodacom Bulls expect a tough encounter when they take on Windhoek Draught Griquas in a Carling Currie Cup clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The side from Kimberley has been one of the strongest competitors in the domestic South African competition and currently occupy a spot in the top four positions on the log, alongside their opponents for the weekend, the Vodacom Bulls, as well as the unbeaten Toyota Cheetahs and Cell C Sharks.

The last time the Vodacom Bulls and Windhoek Draught Griquas squared up, it was the side from Pretoria that claimed the bragging rights with an encouraging 27-53 victory.

The side from the Northern Cape has since registered two back-to-back victories over the Sigma Lions, indicating their intentions of being challengers for the Carling Currie Cup title.

Vodacom Bulls assistant coach, Pine Pienaar, is wary of the threat that their opponents will pose in the return match on Saturday afternoon.

“This weekend we expect a strong onslaught from the Windhoek Draught Griquas,” he said ahead of the match.

“They are currently doing really well, and they had a great win against the Sigma Lions in Kimberley. On that day the Sigma Lions had a couple of their Vodacom URC players in the mix.”

With the Vodacom Bulls on a break in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship before their next fixture against Ospreys in Wales on Friday, May 20, the side is likely to make use of some of the players who have been in action in the cross-hemisphere competition this weekend while also attempting to find a balance in resting a few of their playing personnel.

“There will be guys resting this weekend, but there will also be some guys coming in for the Carling Currie Cup,” said Pienaar.

“For us it is about how well we can plan and how well we can manage our players.”

With the Vodacom Bulls sitting on top of the Carling Currie Cup table at the moment, many will believe that side from Tshwane is well on their way to defend their back-to-back titles in the domestic competition. However, the team is adamant that there is still plenty to play for before the playoff stages.

In addition, the side has also secured a spot in the Vodacom URC playoffs which will run concurrently with the finals stages of the Carling Currie Cup. Squad management will prove crucial as the side vies for success in both competitions.

“We see the Carling Currie Cup as a very important competition to play in. We are not in the semi-finals yet,” said Pienaar.

“We have four games left, starting with a quality challenge against Griquas. When we get closer to the Toyota Cheetahs game (the final round robin fixture) and then the semi-final and final, coach Jake White and coach Gert Smal will plan what to do.

“The challenge then will be the [Vodacom URC] semi-final and final that could potentially be overseas. But currently, we are just looking forward to this coming weekend and our planning.”

Coach Gert Smal will, on Friday, announce his team to take on the Windhoek Draught Griquas in their Carling Currie Cup encounter.

The match will kick off at 17h00 and will be televised on SuperSport.