Van der Merwe to start against Cell C Sharks

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Marcel van der Merwe will get his first start in Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked, after re-joining the #BullsFamily from France earlier this year, when the Vodacom Bulls host the Cell C Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, 24 October 2020.

Director of Rugby, Jake White, has tinkered with his matchday team, most notably amongst the backs, that will front up against the Durbanites.

Youngster David Kriel shifts to fullback in place of the injured of Gio Aplon in a move that will have the #BullsFamily salivating at his potential with the no.15 jersey being his preferred position.

Springbok Travis Ismaiel will take over from Kriel on the right wing while Blitzbok Kurt-Lee Arendse will also get his first opportunity in Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked, after showcasing his silky skills against the same opposition the team faced at Vodacom Super Hero Saturday.

There is also a new centre combination as Springbok Cornal Hendricks shifts back to inside centre while Blitzbok Stedman Gans will man the outside centre channel on game day.

The final change in the backline sees Ivan van Zyl and Embrose Papier swapping places with the former shifting to the bench.

The forwards remain relatively unchanged with Elrigh Louw handed his first start at blindside flank with Arno Botha to provide cover off the bench.

Springbok Marcel van der Merwe replaces another Springbok in the shape of Trevor Nyakane in the starting lineup, with Nyakane dropping to the bench.

“We’ve got another opportunity this week against the Sharks but we need to be better than we were in Bloemfontein. We cannot afford to depend on a late comeback to save our graces which means dominating all phases of play from the first kick-off,” said White.

Vodacom Bulls: 15. David Kriel, 14. Travis Ismaiel, 13. Stedman Gans, 12. Cornal Hendricks, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10. Morné Steyn, 9. Ivan van Zyl, 8. Duane Vermeulen (C), 7. Elrigh Louw, 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Jason Jenkins, 3. Marcel van der Merwe, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 1. Jacques van Rooyen.

Replacements: 16. Joe van Zyl, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Trevor Nyakane, 19. Sintu Manjezi, 20. Arno Botha, 21. Embrose Papier, 22. Chris Smith, 23. Marco Jansen van Vuren.

Big Duane back for Toyota Cheetah

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Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White, has made five changes, including handing exciting and hard-hitting centre Clinton Swart his debut, to his starting line-up to face the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Friday evening, as Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked heads into round two.

Regular captain Duane Vermeulen resumes the no.8 jersey with Tim Agaba getting a rest this week while the powerful Johan Grobbelaar gets a starting opportunity in the middle of the scrum alongside Trevor Nyakane and Jacques van Rooyen.

The tenacious Springbok Embrose Papier replaces fellow Springbok scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl who drops to the bench, with Papier starting his first match of the Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked campaign, while Jade Stighling slots in on the left wing in place of Travis Ismaiel.

Swart will man the inside centre channel alongside Cornal Hendricks who shifts to outside centre with Stedman Gans moving to the bench, where his knack for exploiting gaps will be utilised when the backs of opposition start to tire.

All eyes will be focused on the midfield combination of Swart and Hendricks to face the Toyota Cheetahs as their pace and strength will in all likelihood come in handy against a Free State outfit brimming with confidence after handing the Phakisa Pumas a massive defeat last week.

The bench has also been tweaked with U21 star Joe van Zyl set to receive his first senior cap if he is called upon while Gerhard Steenekamp replaces the injured Lizo Gqoboka, who sustained a calf injury against the Tafel Lager Griquas.

Nizaam Carr is the final change amongst the replacements with the Springbok loose forward coming in for Elrigh Louw.

“We struggled to get going against the Griquas and we cannot afford the same against a strong Cheetahs team. We were fortunate to walk away with last week’s win and we need to do better by implementing our style of play in this clash as soon as possible,” said White.

Vodacom Bulls: Gio Aplon, 14. David Kriel, 13. Cornal Hendricks, 12. Clinton Swart, 11. Jade Stighling, 10. Morné Steyn, 9. Embrose Papier, 8. Duane Vermeulen (C), 7. Arno Botha, 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Jason Jenkins, 3. Trevor Nyakane, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 1. Jacques van Rooyen.

Replacements: 16. Joe van Zyl, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Sintu Manjezi, 20. Nizaam Carr, 21. Ivan van Zyl, 22. Chris Smith, 23. Stedman Gans.

Vodacom Blue Bulls U21 adjust for Xerox Lions clash today

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The Vodacom Blue Bulls U21 team has been named to face the Xerox Lions U21 in their SA Rugby U21 Championship Round 3 match at Emirates Airline Park today, Monday 12 October.

Head coach, Hayden Groepes, has once again made a host of changes as he continues to rotate his squad during the shortened 2020 edition of the competition.

The backline has been tweaked with Dylan Schwartz, Gerswin Mouton and Stravino Jacobs starting at fullback and on the wings respectively, while David Coetzer gets his first start at flyhalf after playing off the bench against Toyota Free State Cheetahs last week.

The forwards also sees significant changes as WJ Steenkamp makes a return in the no.8 jersey while Keenan Opperman starts in place of the incumbent blindside flank and captain, Jaco Labuschagne.

Jordan van Wyk partners Janko Swanepoel in a new-look second-row combination with Eduan Swart returning to the front row alongside Janco Uys and Kudzwai Dube with the latter leading the team against a strong Lions outfit.

Dewald Donald, Wian Otto, Uzile Tele, Johan Mulder, Ruben Liebenberg and Qamani Kota have been named on the bench.

“I was impressed by how the team stuck to our game plan and ground out the bonus point win against Free State. The team that will face the Lions has been tweaked, but the same diligence and work ethic will be expected from them. We are fortunate to have a talented squad, who are committed to our cause and know what they need to do to secure the win,” said Groepes.

Kick-off is 15:30.

Vodacom Blue Bulls U21: 15. Dylan Schwartz, 14. Gerswin Mouton, 13. Sebastian de Klerk, 12. Jay-Cee Nel, 11. Stravino Jacobs, 10. David Coetzer, 9. Keagan Johannes, 8. WJ Steenkamp, 7. Keenan Opperman, 6. Hendri du Toit, 5. Janko Swanepoel, 4. Jordan van Wyk, 3. Eduan Swart, 2. Janco Uys, 1. Kudzwai Dube.

Replacements: 16. Keano Hendricks, 17. Dewald Donald, 18. Wian Otto, 19. Uzile Tele, 20. Jaco Labuschagne, 21. Johan Mulder, 22. Ruben Liebenberg, 23. Qamani Kota.

 

Botha to lead powerful Vodacom Bulls team in Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked opener

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Experienced loose forward Arno Botha will lead a Vodacom Bulls team jam-packed with Springboks, Blitzboks, and Junior Springbok talent against the Tafel Lager Griquas in the opening round of Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, 10 October 2020.

The backline remains relatively unchanged from the Vodacom Super Fan Saturday team that was triumphant against the Cell C Sharks two weeks ago.

The only change sees the fleet-footed David Kriel starting on the left wing as he makes his debut for the Vodacom Bulls.

Springboks Gio Aplon, Cornal Hendricks, Travis Ismaiel, Morné Steyn, and Ivan van Zyl are expected to shine on game day as their collective experience and ability to break the defensive line will be a cornerstone on the attack.

Amongst the forwards, Blitzbok Tim Agaba starts at no.8 where he links up with Springbok flankers Botha and Marco van Staden while locks Jason Jenkins and Ruan Nortje continue their partnership in the second row. Regular skipper Duane Vermeulen picked a slight knee niggle last weekend and is been rested as a precaution.

The front row will be propped up by the forever smiling World Cup-winning prop Trevor Nyakane and Vodacom Super Rugby stalwart Jacques ‘Policeman’ van Rooyen, who will also be making his Vodacom Bulls debut.

The bench is no different in terms of explosive talent with Springbok prop Lizo Gqoboka and Junior Springbok Johan Grobbelaar at hooker eager to return to action after injury layoffs, while lock Sintu Manjezi, flank Elrigh Louw and flyhalf Chris Smith are also set to make their Vodacom Super Rugby debuts.

“It’s been months of preparation and weeks of training with the players and management excited to get going. We have a mission, we’ve set high standards, and now is the time for the Vodacom Bulls to stamp their authority on this competition,” said Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White.

“The experience amongst our players allows us to implement our game plan quickly and with a solid foundation. I’m extremely excited for all the players making their debuts and looking forward to watching them grow,” he added.

Kick-off is 19:00.

Vodacom Bulls: 15. Gio Aplon, 14. Travis Ismaiel, 13. Stedman Gans, 12. Cornal Hendricks, 11. David Kriel, 10. Morné Steyn, 9. Ivan van Zyl, 8. Tim Agaba, 7. Arno Botha (C), 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Jason Jenkins, 3. Trevor Nyakane, 2. Corniel Els, 1. Jacques van Rooyen.

Replacements: 16. Johan Grobbelaar, 17. Lizo Gqoboka, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Sintu Manjezi, 20. Elrigh Louw, 21. Embrose Papier, 22. Chris Smith, 23. Marco Jansen van Vuren

Non-playing subs: 24. Jan Uys, 25. Duane Vermeulen, 26. Jade Stighling.

 

Press Conference Audio Link: https://we.tl/t-NvKp1nlvr3

Changes made for Vodacom Blue Bulls U21’s clash with Toyota Free State

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Vodacom Blue Bulls U21 head coach, Hayden Groepes, has made several changes to his matchday team ahead of their SA Rugby U21 Championship Round 2 meeting against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs U21 at Emirates Airline Park on Thursday, 8 October 2020.

Ruben Beytell and Richard Kriel are the only players in the backline that remain after their dominant win against DHL Western Province U21 in Round 1 with the rotation of players critical in a tournament with such short turnarounds between matches.

Kabelo Mokoena and Sebastiaan Jobb (wings); Sebastian de Klerk and Jay-Cee Nel (centres) and Keagan Johannes (scrumhalf) all get an opportunity to impress in their meeting against Free State who have their tails up after their narrow victory over the Xerox Lions U21 last Sunday.

Amongst the forwards, captain and flank Jaco Labuschagne and lock Janko Swanepoel retain their starting with Divan Venter (no.8), Hendri du Toit (flank), Raynard Roets (lock) with a new-look front row in Wian Otto, Janco Uys, and Kudzwai Dube all getting the nod in the starting line-up.

“The boys did a fantastic job against Western Province but we need to follow that up with another solid performance against Free State. Rotation of our players is a critical part of our game plan as we need to keep them fresh and injury-free throughout the campaign,” said Groepes.

Kick-off is 15:30.

Vodacom Blue Bulls U21: 15. Richard Kriel, 14. Kabelo Mokoena, 13. Sebastian de Klerk, 12. Jay-Cee Nel, 11. Sebastiaan Jobb, 10. Ruben Beytell, 9. Keagan Johannes, 8. Divan Venter, 7. Jaco Labuschagne (C), 6. Hendri du Toit, 5. Janko Swanepoel, 4. Raynard Roets, 3. Wian Otto, 2. Janco Uys, 1. Kudzwai Dube.

Replacements: 16. Keano Hendricks, 17. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18. Nolan Pienaar, 19. Jordan van Wyk, 20. WJ Steenkamp, 21. Bernard van der Linde, 22. David Coetzer, 23. Dylan Schwartz.

Vodacom Blue Bulls U21 named for DHL WP U21 meeting

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The defending SA Rugby U21 champions, the Vodacom Blue Bulls U21, have named a strong team to face DHL Western Province U21 in their opening clash of the 2020 tournament.

Exciting backs Richard Kriel, Diego Appollis, and Stravino Jacobs will be itching to stretch their legs after months of being on the sidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic while WJ Steenkamp, Jaco Labuschagne, and Jan-Hendrik Wessels will pack the necessary punch amongst the forwards.

This year’s edition follows a format similar to the World Rugby U20 Championship where matches are played every few days as opposed to the usual week on week basis.

The 2020 SA Rugby U21 Championship will see the Vodacom Blue Bulls U21, Xerox Golden Lions U21, Toyota Free State Cheetahs U21, Cell C Sharks U21, and DHL Western Province U21 contest the silverware from Sunday, 4 October until the final on Friday, 30 October.

“The pressure is definitely on as defending champions but we have a relatively settled squad and exceptional players that know what they need to do. They are looking forward to their assignment against WP and will need to start strong and secure a winning culture from the start,” said Vodacom Blue Bulls U21 head coach, Hayden Groepes.

Vodacom Blue Bulls U21: 15. Richard Kriel, 14. Gerswin Mouton, 13. Diego Appollis, 12. Dawid Kellerman, 11. Stravino Jacobs, 10. Ruben Beytell, 9. Johan Mulder, 8. WJ Steenkamp, 7. Jaco Labuschagne (C), 6. Janko Swanepoel, 4. Jordan van Dyk, 3. Eduan Swart, 2. Joe van Zyl, 1. Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

Replacements: 16. Janco Uys, 17. Dewald Donald, 18. Wian Otto, 19. Adolph Visser, 20. Divan Venter, 21. Ross Braude, 22. Alex-Zander du Plessis, 23. Jay-Cee Nel.

Vodacom Bulls announce 30 man squad to face Cell C Sharks at Vodacom Super Fan Saturday

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The grass on Loftus Versfeld looks immaculate, the lines have been painted and the players have been preparing to return to rugby for several weeks under various lockdown regulations.

It has been a frustrating time for the rugby community but that is set to change to jubilation on Saturday, 26 September 2020, when Loftus Versfeld hosts the Vodacom Super Fan Saturday which sees a double header of matches with the Vodacom Bulls defending their turf against the Cell C Sharks, and the Emirates Lions facing off against the DHL Stormers.

Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White, has announced a 30 man strong match day squad that will do battle come Saturday. It is a squad that is brimming with Springbok experience and a youthful injection of the next generation of superstars.

World Cup winning no.8 Duane Vermeulen will lead this new look Vodacom Bulls squad that includes many of the new signings made during the COVID enforced off-season.

The backs are not only loaded with speed that could make a cheetah stop and take note, but has the experience of several Springboks including Gio Aplon, Morné Steyn, Embrose Papier, Cornal Hendricks, Travis Ismaiel and Ivan van Zyl while boasting two Blitzbok in Stedman Gans and Kurt-lee Arendse. This vast array of experience is well complimented by a host of youngsters that are eagerly waiting to be unleashed among the backs.

It is much the same amongst the forwards with the pack oozing Springboks, Blitzboks and Junior Springbok talent… giving Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White, the best selection headache possible.

With Vermeulen wearing the captain’s armband, he finds himself surrounded by fellow Springboks: Jason Jenkins, Trevor Nyakane, Marco van Staden, Arno Botha, Nizaam Carr and Juandré Kruger, with Blitzbok Tim Agaba adding his power and pace to the mix.

Last year’s successful Vodacom Blue Bulls U21 captain, Muller Uys, leads the youngsters, who’ve already proven that they can play at an elite level, alongside Junior Springboks Ruan Nortjé, Schalk Erasmus and Corniel Els.

New forward signings Jacques van Rooyen, Sintu Manjezi and Jan-Hendrik Wessels will get the opportunity to charge the length and breadth of Loftus Versfeld as the squad prepares to lock horns with their coastal foes in what is expected to be a clash of titans, and the ultimate exhibition to restart rugby.

“The time for talking is over. We’ve prepared for this moment for weeks now and the boys just want to get out and play. Their commitment and dedication to the way we want to play is reassuring. Now it is time to go out there and to ensure all those long hours in the sun training and perfecting our craft is rewarded by a victory,” said Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White.

All the action can be seen on SuperSport with the Vodacom Bulls kicking things off against the Cell C Sharks at 16:30, and the Emirates Lions set to kick-off against the DHL Stormers at 19:00.

Vodacom Bulls squad: Clinton Swart, Travis Ismaiel, Stedman Gans, Jacques van Rooyen, Kurt-lee Arendse, Corniel Els, Morné Steyn, Ivan van Zyl, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Jade Stighling, Stravino Jacobs, Duane Vermeulen (c), Arno Botha, Chris Smith, Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortjé, David Kriel, Muller Uys, Jason Jenkins, Trevor Nyakane, Schalk Erasmus, Jan-Hendriek Wessels, Mornay Smith, Sintu Manjezi, Juandré Kruger, Nizaam Carr, Tim Agaba, Embrose Papier, Cornal Hendricks, Gio Aplon.

Castle Lager Springbok Showdown to kick-start local season next month

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The battle lines are being drawn for a Castle Lager Springbok Showdown, which will pit the best local stars and top, up-and-coming talent against each other on 3 October, as SA Rugby announced its plans today to reignite an exciting four-month local season.

Springbok assistant coaches Mzwandile Stick and Deon Davids will coach Springbok Green versus Gold teams for the match at DHL Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday 3 October, with Rassie Erasmus (Director of Rugby) and Jacques Nienaber (Springbok coach) acting as the two Team Commissioners.

The selection process will take the form of a draft pick from an enlarged squad of 60 players with Green and Gold team bosses taking alternate turns in an old-style ‘schoolyard pick’ to assemble their match-day squads of 25 players each.

The drama will unfold live on SuperSport, with the enlarged squad set to be announced live on Saturday before the crucial draft pick next week.

“This will not only be an opportunity to see the best of the best available in South Africa square off against each other in what promises to be something never seen before, but it will also provide the players with another valuable opportunity to shake off the rust and get the legs and lungs going after not playing any rugby in the last six months,” said Erasmus.

“The players will be encouraged to showcase their skills – individually and in their teams – and while it will be full-on, we’re expecting to see a highly competitive match of quality players against each other.

“It will be exciting – from the moment we select the squads, with several twists thrown in for good measure – through the build-up to the match and the actual encounter in Cape Town.”

To kick things off though, the local rugby season will resume on 26 September with a double-header at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, when the Vodacom Bulls take on the Cell C Sharks and the Emirates Lions battle the DHL Stormers on Vodacom Super Fan Saturday.

These matches will be followed by the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown at DHL Newlands, after which a double round local competition, between seven franchises, kicks off on the weekend of 10 October.

Details of the local competition, with each of the teams facing the others home and away and every side enjoying two byes during the competition, will be released in due course.

In what is another first for South African rugby, the local competition will continue over Christmas and New Year and will culminate in semi-finals (16 January) and a final on 23 January next year.

“This is a very exciting plan for the next few months, considering all the challenges we’ve faced this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it will be great to see our best local rugby heroes battle it out from October to January,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.

“We’ve worked very hard with Government, SuperSport, our various sponsors and the franchises to get to this point and it’s great to know we can now look forward to brilliant provincial rugby being played in the next couple of months.

“Unfortunately, spectators won’t be allowed inside the stadiums as we are still working with certain COVID-19 regulations.”

Roux said that plans for the Springboks to play the Castle Lager Rugby Championship in Australia were still being pursued but were dependent on international travel and other governmental restrictions as well as player wellness and high-performance considerations.

“We’re still not in a position to confirm plans for the Springboks, but it remains our wish that they play Tests this year,” said Roux.

“It would not only be great to see the Rugby World Cup champions in action, but it would also give the Bok management valuable preparation for next year’s tour of the British & Irish Lions.”

Competition formats and all the fixtures will be confirmed shortly.

 

Jenkins returns to Loftus Versfeld

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Springbok lock, Jason Jenkins, has returned to Loftus Versfeld on a short-term loan from Japanese Top League outfit, Toyota Verblitz, and will be available for the impending South African domestic competition.

The 24-year-old Jenkins joined the Vodacom Bulls in 2013 and represented the franchise from U19 level and all the way up to Vodacom Super Rugby. He represented the Junior Springboks and South Africa A before earning his Springbok cap against Wales in Washington DC in June, 2017.

Jenkins’ return adds more beef to the lock forwards as this behemoth weighs 122kg and stands at 2.01m. Aline this with his dynamic skill set and physicality between the for lines, he is without a doubt a welcomed return to the Vodacom Bulls.

 

#BullsFamily welcomes exciting loose forward Louw

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The Blue Bulls Company can confirm the signing of the exciting and dynamic loose forward Elrigh Louw effective immediately.

The 20-year-old is an impressive physical specimen, standing 1.95m tall and weighing in at 112kg, with the former Junior Springbok flank ultimately sticking his hand up for the Southern Kings in the 2019/20 Guinness PRO14 before the COVID-19 pandemic put a hold on the global rugby season.

Louw was educated at Hoërskool Transvalia where he represented the Valke at the U18 Craven Week before turning out for the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at U19 and U21 level.

His signing further beefs up the Vodacom Bulls’ loose forward stocks with the resumption of the domestic rugby season now within sight.

BBCo Director of Rugby, Jake White, expressed his delight in Louw’s signing as the franchise continues its preparation.

“We are delighted that Elrigh has agreed to join the #BullsFamily as he is a young flanker with a bright future. He has proven in the Guinness PRO14 that he can compete against some of the world’s finest players, and not only has he held his own but excelled while at it.”