Bulls lock forward Matunzi Mabeta, better known as Fudge, has sustained a serious knee injury in a car accident and will play no part in the Bulls Super Rugby campaign this year.
Bulls team doctor Org Strauss confirmed to the side’s official website that Mabeta will be operated on later this month to repair a ruptured knee ligament; he will play no rugby for at least 6 months, ruling him out of the premier Southern Hemisphere regional tournament. Having already lost Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw at the end of the season, the Bulls will not relish the prospect of another of their more experienced second rowers crying off. In Flip van der Merwe and Juandre Kruger, though, they have a young starting lock partnership that would be the envy of most teams. Backup looks a little thin, though, particularly in this most gruelling of competitions.
Other Bulls to be currently on the injury list include Kruger, Bjorn Basson, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Wesley Dunlop, Dewald Potgieter, Francois Venter, Warwick Tecklenburg and Wynand Olivier, however, all are expected to be fit for selection by the time the tournament kicks off. Props Rossouw de Klerk and Morne Mellet are more long-term casualties, with the former likely to miss the bulk of the tournament and the latter to come into the selection frame in about 6 weeks time.
The Bulls opening Super Rugby game is against the Sharks at Loftus on 24 February.
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Another road accident casualty of the “festive season”..
Hope he recovers soon and he doesn’t have any long-term problems that affects his rugby career or life after rugby.
Off subject I know but do rugby players have a clause in their contract that forbids them to do adrenaline sports like I dunno . . . bungee jumping?
When these guys gets injured in the off season it costs the union money.
I wonder if Fudge had a few toots in at the time of the accident, he used to be a bit loskop.
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 3) : I was under the impression he preferred to “smoke and fly”
This must be quite a blow for Fudge who would have relished a little more game time now that the three senior locks have all moved on. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Wilhelm Steenkamp can hold his own alongside Flip or Jandre.
The Bulls were also experimenting with a l/fwd at lock in the form of van Velze.
I really liked the look of youngster Franco Mostert.
Then there’s our old friend Daniel Adongo there as well.
I’m surprised that Marius Coetzer has gotten a call from any SR teams yet.
@robdylan (Comment 4) : True
@beet (Comment 6) : oh ja… forgot about the nomad. Can’t say I rate him at all, though.
I do not think Fudge will recover from this injury.
I hope one of the Tukkies locks impresses Meyer in the varsity cup.
Mostert is like J-J Breedt in future both will probably be converted to loose forwards.
@Muzi (Comment 9) : I thought JJ was a l/fwd converted to lock
That’s just fantastic the sharks at loftus for our first Super 15 game. 👿
Not looking forward to that match at all.
@beet (Comment 10) : Nope if i’m correct J-J played lock for Limpopo Blue Bulls. 😉
Well he can play lock and loose forward.
BUT like i’m saying if he wants to burn that speed and have a successfull career at the bulls he will need to jol at flank.
@Muzi (Comment 9) : HEY! Welcome the f*ck back and happy new year 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 13) : Hey boet happy new year 😉
Had a great time away from Jozi and from all that traffic.
@Muzi: doesn’t that jozi traffic move down to the coast for festive season ? 😀
@robdylan (Comment 13) : Sounds like the sharks world bloggers missed my BLOU BULLE Junior Rugby lessons.
No more gloating sir i promise. 😉
@bergshark (Comment 15) : Indeed
coming Back was a nightmare.
@Muzi (Comment 16) : well, miss is a word that can have various connotations 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 18) : Lets start the year on a clean slate please.
on the bright side he is out BEFORE anybody included him in there FL team :p
@Muzi (Comment 16) : Weeeeeel maybe not missed it but ja
@robdylan (Comment 18) : By the way, are you absolutely sure about this story? Did you hear it from Fudge himself? Did you check your facts first, before writing this sensationalist article, and getting your readers all emotional?
@Greg (Comment 22) :
@Greg (Comment 22) : Well played sir, well played! 😀 (I really wish there was a ‘polite clap’ emoticon)
@Greg (Comment 22) :
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 21) :
@Muzi (Comment 26) : 😆
now now guys 🙂
@Muzi (Comment 14) : @bergshark (Comment 15) : Hey Muzi, I’d just like to express my heartfelt appreciation to you and all other Gautengers who undertook the annual pilgrimage to the coast; Jhb was wonderful over New Year’s weekend – no cars on the highways, no queues at Gold Reef City, peace and quiet everywhere…
@Culling Song (Comment 29) :
@Culling Song (Comment 29) : True dat! What a pleasure driving in to work in December 😀