Established Springboks to continue careers with Blue Bulls

Aug 31 • General News, Super Rugby • 1450 Views • Comments Off on Established Springboks to continue careers with Blue Bulls

The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd on Monday confirmed that a number of high profile Springboks have extended their contracts with the BBC for the next couple of seasons.

The likes of Handre Pollard (Oct 2019), Adriaan Strauss (Oct 2019), Jesse Kriel (Oct 2019), Trevor Nyakane (Oct 2018) and Jan Serfontein (Oct 2017) all confirmed their futures with the Vodacom Bulls and Vodacom Blue Bulls by signing extensions that will keep them in Pretoria for a considerable time.

“This is a clear indication that frontline players see the Vodacom Bulls and Vodacom Blue Bulls as the ideal place to continue and build their already impressive careers,” says High Performance Manager at the BBC, Xander Janse van Rensburg.

“These players are all expected to be amongst the best in the world in their positions for a number of years still and should play many test matches for the Springboks while in Bulls colours. This is a massive endorsement from them towards our mission statement and drive to be one of the leading rugby teams in the world. Not only the Bulls, but South African rugby will benefit in having them based in Pretoria.”

“We believe Blue Bulls rugby has the ability to attract and retain the biggest names in South African rugby and this is proof of that.” “We have worked very hard over the last couple of months to steady the ship and to ensure we remain the preferred team to many of the country’s best players. We had to re-invent ourselves in a way and owned up to the fact that this team belongs as much to the fans as to the union and the players in the squad. The fact that these players want to stay on to be part of this new drive to make our supporters proud, shows their commitment. They accepted the responsibility to achieve those goals and that makes us very proud and humbled. Exciting times await,” Janse van Rensburg said.

Janse van Rensburg also confirmed that current Absa Currie Cup squad members Andre Warner (Oct 2017), Dries Swanepoel (Oct 2017), Roelof Smit (Oct 2017) and Irne Herbst (Oct 2017) signed on for two more seasons.

“All of them have represented SouthAfrica already at various stages of their young careers and it is great to know that we will be able to call on their massive potential and abilities for the next couple of seasons. These players hail from our junior structures and constitutes our new generation, we are excited about their futures here”

Four new players from outside the union were also recruited. Freddy Ngoza (Flanker, Free State), Entienne Swanepoel(Prop, WP), Lihleli Xoli (Utility Back, WP) and Le Roux Roets (Lock, GLRU) have signed contracts till October 2017.

“It is great to have these players around for the next couple of years. Someone like Le Roux Roets was schooled at Garsfontein and then snapped up by the Golden Lions, but we are very happy to see him back in blue. Lihleli, Freddy and Entienne are all players wehave been following closely for the last couple of seasons and we are excited to see their careers hopefully excel in Pretoria” Janse van Rensburg said.

Gevestigde Springbokke sit loopbane by Blou Bulle voort.

Die Blou Bulle Maatskappy (Edms) Bpk het Maandag bevestig dat ‘n groot getal hoë profiel Springbokke hul kontrakte met die BBM vir die afsienbare toekoms verleng het.

Spelers soos Handré Pollard, Adriaan Strauss, Jesse Kriel (almal Oktober 2019), Trevor Nyakane (Oktober 2018) en Jan Serfontein (Okotber 2017) het almal hul toekoms met die Vodacom Bulls en Vodacom Blou Bulle bevestig en het hul kontrakte verleng om nog ‘n geruime tyd hul rugby op Loftus Versfeld te speel.

“Hierdie is ‘n duidelike voorbeeld daarvan dat hoë profiel spelers die Vodacom Bulls en Vodacom Blou Bulle sien as die ideale spanne om hul reeds indrukwekkende loopbane voort te sit en uit te brei,” glo die BBM se Hoë Prestasiebestuurder, Xander Janse van Rensburg.

“Hierdie spelers word gereken om van die beste in die wereld in hul onderskeie posisies te bly in die volgende klompie jare en behoort nog ‘n magdom toetse vir die Springbokke te speel as Bulls-spelers. Hierdie is ‘n massiewe mosie van vertroue van die spelers enonderskryf ons missie om een van die toonaangewende rugbyspanne in die wereld te bly. Nie net die BBM nie, maar ook Suid-Afrikaanse rugby sal die vrugte pluk van hul besluit om in Pretoria aan te bly,” het Janse van Rensburg gesê.

“Ons glo Blou Bulle rugby het die vermoë om van die grootste name in Suid-Afrikaanse rugby te trek en te behou en hierdie is ‘n bewys daarvan. Ons het baie hard gewerk die laaste paar maande om seker te maak ons kry die skip weer op koers en dat ons die voorkeurspan vir talle van die land se beste spelers bly. Ons moes onsself daaraan herinner en weer verbind aan die wete dat hierdie span net soveel aan die ondersteuners behoort as aan die spelers en die unie. Die feit dat die spelers almal bereid was om aan te bly en saam te werk om daardie visie tot uitvoer te bring, wys alreeds ‘n geweldige mate van toewyding. Hulle het die veranderwoordelikheid aanvaar om die uitdagings en doelwitte saam met ons ondersteuners na te streef. Dit maak ons by die BBM baie nederig en dankbaar. Opwindende tye wag.”

Janse van Rensburg het verder bevestig dat bestaande Absa Curriebekerspelers Andre Warner, Dries Swanepoel, Roelof Smit en Irne Herbst (almal Oktober 2017) hul kontrakte hernieu het.

“Almal van hulle het al vir Suid-Afrika op ‘n verteenwoordigende vlak uitgedraf in hul junior loopbane en dit is fantasties om te weet ons gaan hulle potensiaal vir nog twee seisoene kan ontwikkel en die vrugte daarvan pluk. Hulle maak deel uit van die volgende generasie wat moet deurkom en meer bevredigend, almal deur ons junior strukture ontwikkel het,” aldus Janse van Rensburg.

Vier nuwe spelers sal ook hulle loopbane in Pretoria kom voortsit. Freddy Ngoza (flank, Vrystaat), Entienne Swanepoel (stut, WP), Lihleli Xoli (veelsydige agterspeler, WP) en Le Roux Roets (slot, Leeus) het almal kontrakte tot einde Oktober 2017 geteken.

“Dit is puik om hierdie spelers virdie volgende paar seisoene tot ons beskikking te hê. Iemand soos Le Roux Roets was op Garsfontein op skool voor die Leeus hom opgeraap het, so dit is fantasties om hom terug in blou te hê. Ons volg ook die loopbane van Lihleli, Freddy en Entienne vir die afgelope paar jaar en dit is opwindend om te weet dat hulle hul loopbane hier in Pretoria gaan voortsit”, het Janse van Rensburg gesê.