Despite losing a whole raft of players to the national cause, the Blue Bulls look set to mount a credible challenge in this year’s ABSA Currie Cup, having named an impressive-looking enlarged training squad. We’re still waiting for the Sharks to come in from the surf and even start thinking about who’s going to play Currie Cup rugby for us.
The omission of Zane Kirchner and Akona Ndungane from the Bok group means that the Bulls have plenty experience in the back three, with the likes of Tiger Mangweni, John Mametsa and Gerhardt van den Heever providing further options. They look a little thin at inside centre, but still have Jaco Pretorius, Marius Delport and the evergreen Wayne Julies to call on in the midfield. Again, age-group stars such as Stefan Watermeyer, Stephan Dippenaar and Braam Gerber will provide cover.
Heini Adams and Burton Francis will need to mature quickly as a halfback pairing, but both are talented players and should come through fine. Francois Hougaardt and Francois Brümmer need no introduction either, having come up through the ranks.
Amongst the forwards, they look a little thin at hooker (as always) but have a good set of first-choice props in Jaco Engels and Werner Kruger. I see old Mox Mxoli has even cracked the nod! Wilhelm Steenkamp will partner new signing Flippie van der Merwe in the second row, while Dewald Potgieter and Deon Stegmann will no doubt partner the old warhorse Pedrie Wannenburg in the loose trio.
It’s pretty amazing that they can assemble such an impressive training squad despite having so many players out. As much as I hate to admit it, these Bullies are going to be hard to stop this year.
Bulls training squad:
Fullbacks: Zane Kirchner, Tiger Mangweni, TC Losper
Wings: Akona Ndungane, Gerhard van den Heever, John Mametsa, Sampie Mastriet, Clayton Blommetjies
Centres: Jaco Pretorius, Marius Delport, Wayne Julies, Stefan Watermeyer, Stephan Dippenaar, Braam Gerber, Johan Jackson, Luvuyo Matsu
Flyhalves: Burton Francis, Francois Brümmer, Ruan Boshoff
Scrumhalves: Heini Adams, Francois Hougaard, JP Joubert, Ruan Snyman
Loose forwards: Pedrie Wannenburg, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Jacques Burger, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Dries van Schalkwyk, Okkie Kruger, Pieter Meyer
Locks: Wilhelm Steenkamp, Fudge Mabeta, Flippie van der Merwe, Bosman Grobler
Props: Werner Kruger, Jaco Engels, Dean Greyling, Frik Kirsten, Corné Fourie, Ruan Vermeulen, Mox Mxoli
Hookers: Derick Kuün, Bandise Maku, Henri Bantjes
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Damn Bulls have a flippen decent squad.
Heini Adams has a wicked pass on him. Damn fine player imho!
I can’t believe this.
They have both the Baby Bok starting wingers on their books.
Van Den Heever and Mastriet are pretty decent!!!
Who do we have??
Wylie and The Fijian?? 🙄
@wpw (Comment 2) :
Yep, but your upcoming acquisition of Earl Rose should make you feel a little less bitter about it.
@wpw (Comment 1) : Adams had a superb little cameo last night. WHAT a player!
@Salmonoid (Comment 3) :
Your ‘sauce’ please??? 😕
@wpw (Comment 5) :
Nothing definite, but it has been widely speculated.
I also heard speculation that Doppies la Grange and Gerhard Moster are on their way to The Sharks.
@Salmonoid (Comment 7) : is that so?
Interesting.
Mostert would add a nice bit of mongrel, that’s for sure – I wouldn’t pick him ahead of Sykes, though.
As for Droppies, well… he could be useful. I’d rather have Walter Venter and Willem Alberts, though.
Agree on Mostert, could come in very handy. Yes Sykes is now startinhg to make his presence felt.
As for Alberts and Venter, hopefully they will be part of the clearout package from the Lions, 2 for the price of one type special. But what if they send us the Rose bro’s instead 😯 , wpw will be pissed off no end.
I see I am your 999 999th visitor and I have WON. Please let me know some more before I click where they want me too.
@Salmonoid (Comment 10) : hmmm… I would use some discretion if I were you
@Salmonoid (Comment 9) : you know, we have so few playmakers in our backline right now that even Earl Rose would be an improvement.
@robdylan (Comment 12) :
True from a playing point of view, but……
Nah – I don’t want him! And I definitely don’t want his brother either.
well the CC is almost upon us, whats happening on the FL, LMS and SB fronts??
Howdy! 👿
@JarsonX (Comment 15) : funny you should mention that! 🙂
Rob has become a lazy lout since KSA Shark went on holiday…
@wpw (Comment 18) : i’ve always been lazy. It’s just a lot more obvious when Oubaas isn’t around! 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 19) : i’ll agree to that 😉
Love them or hate them, this is one mighty fine squad, I can’t see anybody giving them too much trouble this year. They really have built up a formidable squad and the funniest thing is the guy who put this in place is unemployed as far as a top coaching position is concerned. I know he has his other business. Pity he is not where he should be coaching the Boks!!
@wpw (Comment 5) : Wes Dont be sour it will just mean I won’t have to bitch about him every week, you will, but the wat things are going at the Lions I wont have a team to bitch about anyway 👿
Yep…damn fine squad…with lots of quality YOUNG players.
Imagine being a prop with “fudge” packing behind you…eish! 😉 😆
@Villie (Comment 23) : so is he a fudge packer, then?
Boys High boy, though… so I shouldn’t be nasty about him, even though he’s a Bull. Hope he’s put his dope problems behind him now.
weehoo i really wanted this news. i have been eagerly checking this site to see the bulls squad. i am so excited. NOT
@try time (superrugby’s kryptonite is SANZAR) (Comment 25) : oh shut up. If the Sharks could be bothered to announce a squad, I’d write about it twice.
Hey guys, I read in a Mike Greenaway article than Plum was looking to splash the cash on players ahead of the Super 14. Who do you think we should get and who do you think we will go after?
@MerckZ (Comment 27) : I would definitely go for a quality 13 and another lock. You need good depth in Super 14. Maybe another hooker too.
The Sharks coaching staff haven’t shown any faith in Joe Snyman, Craig Burden or Justin Downey and Waylon is taking forever to recover from his injuries!
@robdylan (Comment 24) : 😛 I don’t know….was just being a bit cheeky. Don’t really know much about him…not sure how much game time he will get at the Bulls though
@MerckZ (Comment 27) : where did you see that, Merckz? I must’ve missed it
@Villie (Comment 29) : I reckon he might wear 18 pretty regularly this Currie Cup
@robdylan (Comment 30) : In the latest issue of SA Rugby Magazine – in the Sharks’ roundup column.
I reckon we should be looking for an inside centre, a lock and a bigger loose forward.
I like Riaan Swannepoel, but he doesn’t fill me with the confidence that Barritt did. With his Saxons selection, is their any likelihood that Brad will ever come back to SA?
What do you think of the idea of using Craig Burden as a blindside flank? If Jean Deysel gets injured, he’d give us good go-forward.