An exciting Vodacom Bulls side will take on the Toyota Cheetahs in a Carling Currie Cup encounter at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow night.

Vodacom Bulls’ Carling Currie Cup head coach, Gert Smal, has selected a team with a balance of youth and experience which will see the centre pairing of Cornal Hendricks and Stedman Gans in the backline, while winger, Stravino Jacobs, makes a return to the starting XV.

Teenage flanker, Cameron Hanekom, will earn a starting berth at blindside flank where he will partner up with WJ Steenkamp on the openside and Muller Uys at No8.

The Vodacom Bulls will unleash a solid starting front row which includes Gerhard Steenekamp at loosehead prop, Robert Hunt on the other side of the scrum, and Schalk Erasmus starting in the No2 jumper.

“The team had a week’s break after the opening two matches of the Carling Currie Cup season where we have had an opportunity to work on areas that we felt we needed to improve and those we felt we could further enhance where we thought we did well in the matches against the Airlink Pumas and DHL Western Province,” said Smal.

“We now have the tough task of facing a dangerous Toyota Cheetahs team whom we know will give us a good challenge. We expect the side from Bloemfontein to come to Loftus Versfeld highly motivated, and they will give us both a physical and running game on Wednesday night.

The match will kick off at 17h45 on Wednesday, and it will be televised on SuperSport.

 The Vodacom Bulls team to face the Toyota Cheetahs is:

 STARTERS (15-1): David Kriel (Betway Centurion), Sibongile Novuka (ABE Midas Naka Bulle), Stedman Gans (Northam), Cornal Hendricks (CAPT, Northam), Stravino Jacobs (Harlequins), Chris Smith (Harlequins), Marco Jansen van Vuren (Pretoria); Muller Uys (FNB Tuks), Cameron Hanekom (Harlequins), WJ Steenkamp (Tuine), Janko Swanepoel (Pretoria), Reinhardt Ludwig (FNB Tuks), Robert Hunt (Harlequins), Schalk Erasmus (Tuine), Gerhard Steenekamp (ABE Midas Naka Bulle).

 IMPACT (16-23): Joe van Zyl (Harlequins), Lizo Gqoboka (ABE Midas Naka Bulle), Sebastian Lombard (Betway Centurion), Raynard Roets (Betway Centurion), Jaco Labuschagne (Pretoria), Keagan Johannes (FNB Tuks), FC du Plessis (Betway Centurion), Richard Kriel (Tuine).

The Vodacom Bulls are bracing themselves for another tough Vodacom United Rugby Championship encounter when they face the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The cross-Jukskei rivalry will be reignited as the two sides come face-to-face for the first time in the Vodacom URC, with both looking to claim the bragging rights.

Vodacom Bulls prop, Jacques van Rooyen, indicated that the side will be looking to bounce back from their nail-biting but “disappointing” 26-30 defeat to the DHL Stormers last weekend.

“We were obviously disappointed with the performance from last weekend,” Van Rooyen said.

“The Stormers really played well and started well. We took a good, long, hard look at ourselves and the way we wanted to play. We obviously did not get to do that in that game.

“We just have to try to get back to basics and make sure that everyone is on the same page. We have to make sure that for the upcoming games we are up to standard, that we start well and not make life difficult for ourselves, unnecessarily, by having to find ourselves chasing games.”

The 35-year-old Van Rooyen, who had started his career at Emirates Lions and spent his first five years of professional rugby at the franchise, will be most familiar with what to expect from the Johannesburg-based side.

“We know that the Emirates Lions, for the past few years, have had a good scrummaging pack and they like to attack you on your own ball as well their own feed. We know very well that every single scrum will be a battle,” he said.

When the two sides meet at Emirates Airline Park, the battle is always fierce. Van Rooyen expects the same on Saturday and also remains confident that the work the Vodacom Bulls have been putting in ahead of the derby will come to fruition on game day.

“Since I have been at the Vodacom Bulls, we have not had one easy game against them,” the burly prop said.

“[Emirates Airline Park] has been a tough ground for us to go play at. Obviously, their style of play, the tempo they play at, and now the coaches that they have brought in – you can see they are a lot more aggressive on defence. So, we know that is coming – they are very organised on defence.

“We have been working hard on what we want to do better. We want to make sure that we come to the party to ensure that we secure our ball and put them under pressure on their own feeds as well.”

Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, will announce his squad to face the Emirates Lions on Friday.

The match between the two sides will kick-off at 15h00 on Saturday.

 

The Vodacom Bulls are excited to announce the inclusion of former prop, Werner Kruger, as a coaching consultant focused on working with the team’s front row.

The 36-year-old former Springbok was, up until he retired from rugby last year, one of the most experienced tighthead props after having been capped well over 100 times each for the Vodacom Bulls in Super Rugby and the Carling Currie Cup before adding another century of caps at the Welsh club, Scarlets, where he ended his playing career.

“We are pleased to have been able to call on Werner Kruger as a consultant who will work with our front row, with immediate effect,” confirmed Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, Jake White.

“Werner was one of the most respected tighthead props, not only in South Africa but overseas as well where he became a legend at Scarlets in Wales. He is somebody who knows the Vodacom Bulls culture intimately and his expertise will be of great value to our group of props currently.

“We look forward to seeing his influence and have no doubt that with his contribution we are bound to see an improvement from our front row, particularly the props.”

Kruger’s playing career at the Vodacom Bulls began in 2003, spanning until his move to Wales in 2016, where he remained committed to Scarlets in Llanelli until last year.

He was part of the SA Under-21 team for two years in 2005 and 2006 before his selection for the Emerging Springboks team in 2010. Kruger earned four Springbok caps between 2011 and 2012.

The Vodacom Bulls are pleased to confirm a skilled team of coaches that will oversee the Carling Currie Cup campaign alongside head coach, Gert Smal.

The Tshwane-based side last month announced the arrival of former Springbok assistant coach, Smal, at Loftus to spearhead the team to their domestic title defense.

The former Bok flanker will be ably assisted by competent coaching staff in the campaign which kicks off with a visit to Mbombela on Friday where the Vodacom Bulls will face the Pumas.

Former Vodacom Bulls Under-20 coaches Pine Pienaar (defence coach), Hayden Groepes (backs and attack coach), Edgar Marutlulle (scrum coach) will take up their reins in the Carling Currie Cup team.

“We are privileged at the Vodacom Bulls to have several talented coaches within our structures,” said Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, Jake White.

“A knowledgeable coach like Gert will certainly find comfort in being surrounded by an experienced coach like Pine Pienaar, a hard-working and committed individual like Hayden Groepes, and one of the most promising player-turned-coach in Edgar Marutlulle.

“We have no doubt that this team of coaches and the squad of players that we have will continue to fly the Vodacom Bulls flag high in the Carling Currie Cup this year.”

The Vodacom Bulls’ Carling Currie Cup coaching team is:

Head Coach – Gert Smal

Defence Coach – Pine Pienaar

Backs & Attack Coach – Hayden Groepes

Scrum Coach – Edgar Marutlulle

As the year draws to a close, with the Vodacom Bulls having enjoyed the success of back-to-back Carling Currie Cup titles and getting a taste of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, assiduous prop, Simphiwe Matanzima, reflects positively on the year that was.

The 24-year-old loosehead prop proved himself to be an instrumental figure in the Vodacom Bulls team throughout the year with some key performances and establishing himself as one of the players to look out for in South African rugby. This after some struggles with injury in previous seasons.

“It’s nice to be back,” reflected the Eastern Cape-born Matanzima.

“Especially coming into a new system with a winning culture which we have seen this year. I’m enjoying the game again. It feels awesome and I can’t wait to build on that.”

While vying for a spot in a team full of talented front-rowers which include Lizo Gqoboka and Gerhard Steenekamp among his positional competitors, Matanzima has added to the healthy internal team competition.

So impressive was Matanzima this year that he earned a spot in the inaugural Carling Champions Team that took on Kenya at Loftus Versfeld on November 6. An added feather to his cap was the fact that he was appointed captain of the team that emerged as 85-17 victors over the East African nation, proving his capabilities as a leader.

A proven strong scrummager, Matanzima is pleased with the progress his side has been making in the set pieces, especially after having to venture into new territory – playing on unfamiliar 4G pitches on their tour of Europe at the start of the Vodacom URC.

“I don’t think we need to change much in terms of our scrums. Playing in the Northern Hemisphere, with the different interpretations from the refs, was a bit of a challenge in the previous games, and also playing on those 4G pitches and getting used to that.

“We just look forward to big scrum battles going forward. We need to stick to our principles and continue doing what we do best.

“This year we were at the top during the Carling Currie Cup. I think we are all improving as front row and [forwards] coach Russell Winter is doing a good job with us. We are all looking to improve and get better every time.”