Bulls coach Pine Pienaar will be pulling his hair out, with the news that flanker Deon Stegmann appears to have broken his cheek and will probably be out of rugby for an extended period as a result. This comes hot on the heels of the news that Chilliboy Ralepelle has been recalled to the Bok squad, further limiting Pienaar’s options for the weekend’s crunch Currie Cup game against Griquas at Loftus.
It’s hardly been a great start to the season for the men in blue, with Friday’s patchy win over the Pumas in Nelspruit only their second in five starts. The return of a number of Bok Tr-Nations discards has done little, it seems, to lift the overall standard of play from a team who quite frankly look like they’re simply going through the motions. Ralepelle’s loss will be a bitter blow and with the fiery hooker sure to be named in the World Cup squad as third hooker – particularly given doubts John Smit’s fitness – Pienaar could ill-afford to lose Stegmann as well. Despite his tendency to disappear at Bok level, the open-sider has been a stand out at provincial level over the last few seasons.
Pienaar has a natural replacement in Derick Kuun, who is playing out his Bulls contract ahead of retiring at the end of the year to concentrate on farming, but none of the plethora of young loose forwards currently in the wider squad looks ready (or able) to step up, even at this level, which must be a worry for the coach (and his bosses as well).
“Despite his tendency to disappear at Bok level, the open-sider has been a stand out at provincial level over the last few seasons.”…… Standout in the penalty count against him…
Sheeze this is bad news I feel for the guy.
Hello sharkies
Ja ne
jammer blue bulls supporters BUT steggman is not as good as i thought he was.
Brussouw is class he showed how average steggamn was for the boks.
Steggman needs to go condition himself he looks abit fat lol.And he nevewr listens he never lets go of the ball
They better go get Marnus Schoeman who should form a loose trio with stander and arno botha in the future.
Geez how good was SPIES haha genia got handed off like nobodys beez neez
.
Everytime spies got the ball he was a handfull.He gave poor JP a hospital pass though
Duene Vermuelen..Kanko..Johnson are good BUT spies on form is untouchable.
@Muzi (Comment 3) : I wud love to see Marnus Schoeman given an opportunity. In just a few minutes for Griquas vs the Sharks, he showed a lot of desire.
Anyone starting to feel sorry for the Bulls??
@beet (Comment 4) : Hey buddy how scary is that wp under 21 side tjoe
the full back steyl is class…mbovane has a sick side step my god sithole did not know what hit him.
They might as well give wp the cup the bulls under 21′s are good but wp better.
@JarsonX (Comment 5) : I will never feel sorry for the bulls. Ever since the 07 super 14 final.
@mikey (Comment 7) : hahahaha Boet we have huge problems in die blou bul land massive issues we look like a bunch of school kids.
@JarsonX (Comment 5) : Right now being a bulls supporters feels
we have massive problems up there in Pretoria…in my honest opinion nobody is buying into this whole Pine Pienaar thing 
the discipline and penalty count is shocking and gary botha is one of the guilty parties.
i think the Boks were missing Stegman a bit this weekend. Waiting for the stats to see whether there were indeed so many missed tackles as it looked to me.
@Muzi (Comment 3) : Have to agree, the ‘fire’ in Spies’ play gave me a lot of hope. Hope to see more of it!
@JarsonX (Comment 5) : Not for the Bulls, a bit for Steggies. A broken cheek sounds very painful and I suppose it’s never good for a pro rugby player to have an injury like that.
Ag die arme bulletjies…..
Noooooit, hahaha sies tog
@Franshark (Comment 13) : tsk – don’t be a meany. Muzi will get you
Spies was able to break from the back of some solid well conrolled scrums thanks to Jannie’s good right shoulder.
@Muzi (Comment 6) :Ja I agree. Heinrich Steyl had an excellent game. I’ve been aware of his good footwork and his bursts of pace b4 Friday but what impressed me a lot during the game vs the Sharks u21 was his tackling. I thought he might come short in that dept. I was wrong.
This is a double blow for the Bulls. Stegman out and ergo Kuun in.
Sorry to hear about stegmann’s injury.always puts his body on the line.
Talking bout injuries: I’m actually surprised to hear that olivier wasn’t cited for that “sweepslag-gooi” on the pumas 9.off the ball after the player had made the pass.not nice!
How poor was spies on def though??!
Come On Griquas !!
Griquas playing bulls this weekend?