Hot on the heels of yesterday’s news about the Lions’ alleged interest in Bakkies Botha, JJ Harmse, who is very close to the Bulls camp, today reports that a slew of other players may also be eying Loftus exits at the end of the year.
Veteran scrumhalf Fourie du Preez has already confirmed that he will join Eddie Jones at Suntory in Japan after the World Cup. Lock forward Danie Rossouw, though, looks set to join the pair there and Jones was reportedly in South Africa last week to thrash out last-minute details with the big Bull.
France looks likely to be another popular destination for retiring Bulls, with hooker Gary Botha and prop Gurtho Steenkamp both linked to Toulouse and said to be in advanced stages of negotiation there. Wynand Olivier is also said to be in discussions with Bayonne, a club who showed interest in the player back in 2007, before he signed a long-term Bulls deal. Perhaps more worrying is the talk that a younger player, wing Gerhard van den Heever, is apparently considering an offer to sign for an Australian team. While the Bulls would be expecting to lose a number of their veterans at the end of the year, it’s players like van den Heever who should form the basis of their longer-term succession plan.
Meanwhile, with a number of other players coming off contract soon, don’t be too surprised to see a number of other up-and-coming stars lured by big money offers to cross the Jukskei.
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Apparently Fourie du Preez will consider playing in SA if Heyneke Meyer becomes Springbok coach.
yoh, I see cap’n Vic is reacting somewhat angrily to all of this speculation on twitter…
“Koerante praat oor kontrakte wat Bakkies moet teken wat Bakkies nie eers van weet nie”
Would be wise for the Van de Heevers of this world to sign before the RWC kicks off and everyone forgets about him…..ask Rudi Wulf at Toulon !
Shadow,pfffft
@robdylan (Comment 2) : Just think Vic is covering for him so that nobody has any hard feelings in the bulls camp.
Danie Rossouw in Japan.Eina
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 3) :
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 6) : Is he big in Japan?
Okay – that was lame!
@Ice (KCM) (Comment 8) : Ring rusty nuh
@Ice (KCM) (Comment 8) : Enter the Danie
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 10) : Daniel-Son.
@Ice (KCM) (Comment 8) : LOL! Now I’m humming the damned tune in my head!
@Ice (KCM) (Comment 11) : Land of the rising Dan…
@Ice (KCM) (Comment 8) : Someone had to address the elephant in the room!
@Original Champion (Comment 14) :
‘Meanwhile, with a number of other players coming off contract soon, don’t be too surprised to see a number of other up-and-coming stars lured by big money offers to cross the Jukskei.’
MMMMMMMMMMMM yummmy !!!!!!!!
@Zibbie (Comment 16) : Lions ready to pounce again Zibbie ?
@Original Champion (Comment 14) : There’s more than one way to interpret the elephant reference, methinks! Am I missing something?
@Original Champion (Comment 17) :
hehe you know i never believe anything until the player runs out for the lions ..
what excites me though is that things are now on the lions side ..
in the old days the article would have read .. ‘sharks buys whole lion team .. bulls feed on left overs ‘
for a change things are not looking to bad .. but we REALLY need to hang onto our young stars
@Zibbie (Comment 19) : i just hope you guys give Taute alot of game time, with the Kiwi there, i`m affraid that taute could take a back seat. IMO, taute would not drop a WC2011 Springbok side…
@VanWilder (Comment 20) :
yes i agree 200 % !!! Tuate is a must keep . but i think the super 15 will be long enough so both players will get an extended run because of rotation and injuries ..
Can anybody stomach me joining their Fantasy Rugby league ? I will definitely behave.
@Zibbie (Comment 19) : agreed – but all the big names (i mean butch and allegedly steyn) seem to be joining later. For now lions bought couple of exciting youngsters but who will be the cool old head – Van heerden ? or am I missing someone?
@Zibbie (Comment 21) : i do hope so. imo, out of all the talent coming out of your part of the world, Taute is by far the brightest prospect.
@Speed7 (Comment 22) : Sure – Just don’t pick too many lion players in your team
@VanWilder (Comment 24) : unless big vic runs onto him
Have more Sharks than Lions. Iam in a league where we play for money so make sure I don’t bet with my heart. Only the head. Haha.
@Zibbie (Comment 21) : one question though, why is Cobus Grobelaar (Baywatch) not playing a starting role?? i see that he was on the bench for a few times now… can the Sharks make an offer??
@Speed7 (Comment 27) :
so, you’re better than me. In my first FL I was bit upset because there were not enough sharks loose forwards (I think) to choose from and I had to pick a stranger 
this reminds – I only have a week to pick up a team.
@rekinek (Comment 26) : hehehe!!! that for sure! over who did Mvovo ran over in the stormers game? it was against the touchline, it all happened so fast…
not really surprised at bakkies : lemma think wc, cc, s14, lions, same with fourie.
van heerden unlikely to get chances with the boks so what would keep him.
@rekinek (Comment 29) : to pick (not pick up
@Speed7 (Comment 22) :
if its the same comp you can join here if you like :11250082124183
that is for ultimate dream team
@rekinek (Comment 23) :
im just a tiny bit more excited about Elton .. but its a fraction of a hair on a bold mans head
@VanWilder (Comment 24) :
probably doppies and franco ..
@VanWilder (Comment 28) :
i think John M made it clear that he favors a loose trio of Straus ,whitly and minne .. he would propably struggel to make our side atm .. hehe
Post a league code for me to join. I will buy a Sharks jersey and be photographed in it should I finish outside the top 3.
@Speed7 (Comment 33) : hehe – i am making a note of this undertaking
you do not need a code. link to just rugby is between recent post and recent comments. login details same as SW.
@rekinek (Comment 32) :
Thanks.
@Speed7 (Comment 33) : It must be an original Sharks jersey not the fakes from the street corners!!