Three extend contracts as Vodacom Bulls get ready for 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby season:

The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd on Thursday confirmed that Werner Kruger, Akona Ndungane and Duncan Matthews have extended their contracts and will be available to play for the Vodacom Bulls in the 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby competition. Former Springbok winger Ndungane extended his contract till the end of the 2015 Super Rugby competition, while prop Kruger, who made his Springbok debut in 2011, signed on till October 2016.

Outside back Duncan Matthews, who represented the South African Under-20 side in 2014, will stay with the Pretoria franchise till at least October 2016.

BBC’s High Performance Manager, Xander Janse van Rensburg, confirmed that the majority of the provisional Vodacom Bulls squad for next year have signed up till the end of 2016.
“We had a long term plan with some of these younger players which started in 2012 already and it is great to see that they are now blossoming in our structures. Added to some new signings for next season, I think the 2015 Super Rugby season could be an exciting one for our supporters,” Janse van Rensburg said.

Blue Bulls Media Release

Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke announced his provisional training squad for the 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby competition at the same time.

The squad has six Springboks currently on tour with the national team in England and another 12 players who has represented the Springboks in the past.
It is also packed with a number of Junior Springboks and Springbok Sevens players.

These new faces to the squad include Matthews, Jesse Kriel, Warrick Gelant, Jamba Ulengo, Dries Swanepoel, Dan Kriel, Burger Odendaal, Nardus van der Walt, Irne Herbst, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Arno van Wyk and Pierre Schoeman.

New signings Lappies Labuschagne, Trevor Nyakane and Adriaan Strauss (all from Toyota Cheetahs) are also in the group.

“I am very excited about this group. We have great depth in many crucial positions, so should be covered when injury strike. The influx of youth excites me as these players have wonderful skills, particularly on attack. This will allow us a different approach in that department. A number of these youngsters has been exposed to senior rugby already and should hit the ground running in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition. It was always part of the long term strategy for these youngsters to develop into Super Rugby players and I think we have managed that well,” Ludeke said.
“We have been working hard on a game plan and structure that will complement the playing staff we have.”

The Vodacom Bulls will play one warm-up match next year, with the opponents for the match on January 24th, to be confirmed. The match is scheduled to be played in Polokwane.

The Vodacom Blue Bulls XV will also play an invitational match against Saracens in London on January 31st.

The training squad is:

Backs: Jesse Kriel, Duncan Matthews, Warrick Gelant, Jurgen Visser (Kriel, Gelant is with SA Sevens and Visser injured and expected back on the field 5 January 2015), Akona Ndungane*, Travis Ismaiel, Bjorn Basson*, Jamba Ulengo, JJ Engelbrecht*, William Small-Smith, Dries Swanepoel (Engelbrecht with SA Sevens, Swanepoel injured and expected back on the field 30 February 2015), Jan Serfontein*, Ulrich Beyers, Dan Kriel, Burger Odendaal (Serfontein with Springboks, Odendaal injured and expected back on the field 12 January 2015), Handre Pollard*, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Tian Schoeman, Kobus Marais (Pollard with Springboks), Francois Hougaard*, Piet van Zyl*, Rudy Paige, Ivan van Zyl, Carlo Engelbrecht (Hougaard with Springboks)

Forwards: Pierre Spies*, Hanro Liebenberg (Spies injured and expected back on the field 5 January 2015), Arno Botha*, Jacques du Plessis, Nardus van der Walt, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Jacques Engelbrecht (Botha injured and expected back on the field 5 January 2015), Deon Stegmann*, Lappies Labuschagne, Roelof Smit, Victor Matfield*, Grant Hattingh, Marvin Orie, RG Snyman. (Hattingh injured and expected back on the field 5 January 2015), Flip van der Merwe*, Irne Herbst, Jason Jenkins. (Van der Merwe injured and expected back on the field 5 January 2015), Werner Kruger*, Marcel van der Merwe*, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Hencus van Wyk, Basil Short. (Van der Merwe injured and expected back on the field 1 December 2014, Van Wyk injured and expected back on the field 30 February 2015), Adriaan Strauss*, Bandise Maku*, Callie Visagie, Jaco Visagie, Arno van Wyk. (Callie and Jaco Visagie injured and expected back on the field 5 January 2015), Dean Greyling*, Morne Mellett, Trevor Nyakane*, Pierre Schoeman

*Denotes Springboks

********************************************************************

Drie teken weer by Vodacom Bulls voor 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby seisoen:

Die Blou Bulle Maatskappy (Edms) Bpk het Donderdag bevestig Werner Kruger, Akona Ndungane en Duncan Matthews het hul kontrakte verleng en almal vir die Vodacom Bulls se 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby seisoen beskikbaar sal wees.
Die oud-Bok vleuel, Ndungane, het sy kontrak tot aan die einde van die Super Rugby kompetisie verleng, terwyl Kruger, wat in 2011 sy toetsdebuut vir die Springbokke gemaak het, tot Oktober 2016 verleng het. Matthews, veelsydige agterspeler wat vanjaar vir die Junior Springbokke gespeel het, bly ook tot dan aan.

Die BBM se Hoë Prestasiebestuurder, Xander Janse van Rensburg, het bevestig dat die oorgrote meerderheid van die voorlopige Vodacom Bulls groep vir 2016 almal kontrakte in plek het tot aan die einde van 2016.
“Ons het ‘n langtermynplan gehad met van die jonger spelers wat al in 2012 begin het en dit is fantasties om te sien hoe hulle groei en ontwikkel in ons strukture. Voeg hulle ontwikkeling by die nuwe spelers wat by ons aansluit vir volgende seisoen en ek dink daar wag ‘n goeie 2015 seisoen op die span en sy getroue ondersteuners,” het Janse van Rensburg gesê.

Die Vodacom Bulls-afrigter, Frans Ludeke , het terselfdertyd sy voorlopige groep vir die 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby kompetisie aangekondig.

Die groep het ses Springboks wat tans saam met die nasionale span in Engeland is en 12 ander spelers wat reeds die Groen en Goud oor die kop getrek het.
Die groep is ook propvol oud-Junior Springbok en Springbok Sewes verteenwoordigers.

Onder diegene is nuwelinge soos Matthews, Jesse Kriel, Warrick Gelant, Jamba Ulengo, Dries Swanepoel, Dan Kriel, Burger Odendaal, Nardus van der Walt, Irne Herbst, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Arno van Wyk en Pierre Schoeman.

Die nuwe aanwinste Lappies Labuschagne, Trevor Nyakane and Adriaan Strauss (almal van Toyota Cheetahs) is ook in die groep opgeneem.

“Ek is baie opgewonde oor die groep. Ons het puik diepte in sleutelposisies en beserings behoort nie weer soveel skade aan te rig soos vanjaar die geval was nie. Die invloei van die jonger spelers maak my baie opgewonde, want hulle het skitterende vaardighede, veral op die aanval. Dit sal ons in staat stel om met ‘n ander benadering in die verband vorendag te kom,” het Ludeke gesê.

“‘n Klomp van hulle het alreeds op senior vlak presteer en behoort sonder moeite hul voete op Super Rugby vlak te vind. Dit was altyd deel van die langtermynbeplanning om hierdie juniors as Super Rugby spelers te ontwikkel en ek dink ons het in daardie doelwit geslaag,” meen hy.
“Ons kan ook nou ons wedstrydplan en strategie aanpas by die vaardighede waaroor ons spelers beskik,” glo Ludeke.

Die Vodacom Bulls speel ‘n opwarmingswedstryd in Polokwane op 24 Januarie 2015, maar die teenstander moet nog bevestig word.
Die span sal ook op 31 Januarie in ‘n uitnodigingswedstryd teen Saracens in London uitdraf.

Die oefengroep is:

Agterspelers: Jesse Kriel, Duncan Matthews, Warrick Gelant, Jurgen Visser (Kriel, Gelant is met SA Sewes, Visser is beseer en word op 5 Januarie terugverwag op die veld), Akona Ndungane*, Travis Ismaiel, Bjorn Basson*, Jamba Ulengo, JJ Engelbrecht*, William Small-Smith, Dries Swanepoel (Engelbrecht is met SA Sewes, Swanepoel is beseer en word op 30 Februarie terugverwag op die veld), Jan Serfontein*, Ulrich Beyers, Dan Kriel, Burger Odendaal (Serfontein met Springbokke, beseer en word op 12 Januarie terugverwag op die veld), Handre Pollard*, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Tian Schoeman, Kobus Marais (Pollard met Springbokke), Francois Hougaard*, Piet van Zyl*, Rudy Paige, Ivan van Zyl, Carlo Engelbrecht (Hougaard met Springbokke)

Voorspelers: Pierre Spies*, Hanro Liebenberg (Spies beseer en word op 5 Januarie terugverwag op die veld), Arno Botha*, Jacques du Plessis, Nardus van der Walt, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Jacques Engelbrecht (Botha beseer en word op 5 Januarie terugverwag op die veld), Deon Stegmann*, Lappies Labuschagne, Roelof Smit, Victor Matfield*, Grant Hattingh, Marvin Orie, RG Snyman, (Hattingh beseer en word op 5 Januarie terugverwag op die veld), Flip van der Merwe*, Irne Herbst, Jason Jenkins. (Van der Merwe beseer en word op 5 Januarie terugverwag op die veld), Werner Kruger*, Marcel van der Merwe*, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Hencus van Wyk, Basil Short. (Van der Merwe beseer en word op 1 Desember terugverwag op die veld, Van Wyk beseer en word op 30 February terugverwag op die veld), Adriaan Strauss*, Bandise Maku*, Callie Visagie, Jaco Visagie, Arno van Wyk. (Callie en Jaco Visagie beseer en word op 5 Januarie terugverwag op die veld), Dean Greyling*, Morne Mellett, Trevor Nyakane*, Pierre Schoeman

*Dui Springbok aan