Johannesburg, 18 January 2010… The Golden Lions Rugby Union announced this morning that Wikus van Heerden, former Lions captain, has signed with the Lions from 1 July 2010 – 31 October 2012.
Van Heerden, or “Captain Courageous”, as he was commonly referred to, left the Golden Lions Rugby Union at the end of the 2006 Absa Currie Cup competition to join the Vodacom Bulls, and thereafter moved to Saracens. He will remain at Saracens until the end of their season on the 30 June 2010 before moving back to Johannesburg.
Van Heerden commented this morning that he is very excited about returning to the Lions. “Since my time at the Lions I have grown as a player and have gathered much experience at both the Bulls and Saracens. I am hoping to utilize this experience and make an impact when I join the Lions later this year”.
The GLRU are very excited about signing Van Heerden who has spent most of his formative rugby career with the Johannesburg based team.
“It’s always good to sign a new player, but when it’s a former star player returning, it makes it a little more special. Wikus returning is exciting, and we see this as just one more step in the right direction for the GLRU”, CEO Manie Reyneke said.
Of the various unions in South Africa, why the Lions?
Van Heerden said, “The Lions has always been a very special place to me. I spent nine (9) years at the Lions before moving over to the Bulls. At that stage I needed a change. With all the changes at the Lions now and with the new people appointed, this is an exciting and ideal opportunity for me to make the most of what is left of my rugby career. And who knows, maybe I can be a part of a winning Super 14 or Currie Cup team while at the Lions”.
Van Heerden will join the Lions ahead of the 2010 Absa Currie Cup, where he is expected to be a regular in the starting 15.
Hi carol, this time the English cricketers were handed their arses. But one thing, just because they showed such determination they deserve the series draw.
31 – Hi superBul, Mmmmmm. it all went a bit tit’s up at the end there!! 🙁
Now Strauss is in the news saying he is a bit ‘tired’ and will not play in the next few matches, as he has had a long season!!
Honesty is all very well, I think I would have produced a limp or grumbling appendix…..No one wants a sportsman to just say ‘I’m tired’!!
Perhaps Tim Noakes would say this is the way things should go really, recognising fatigue and responding to it!
Ashley 12 – You are a cruel man…..Don’t rub it in!!
I do not have great hopes for England now we are on the verge of our new 6 Nations Series to be honest….. 😐
Is it a wonderful balmy evening in South Africa, are you all sitting on your verandas sipping a chilled South African wine…..?
Where are you all?
Helloooooooooooooo
Blouste, Carol is right, mail a suitable, with the focus on suitable, pic to webmaster@rugby-talk.com. I will then Edit it and put it on the Bloggers Gallery and as soon as your pic is on you’ll have access to the bloggers gallery to see the pics.
In other words, you pay with your pic to see the other pics.
I have to edit the pics, because some of you are so ugly, you’ll give the other bloggers nightmares for years…. hey Ashley… hehehehe
Hey Titanium Broer, how are you doing?
Get sorted today? Found your ‘new’ car yet? 😉
Blue Bulls off to winning start
18 January 2010 (20:56)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls started their season on a high note by beating Russia 36-21 in a pre-season friendly at Loftus Versfeld on Monday afternoon.
Like expected, the first half was really tough and the young Bulls could only manage to lead 21-18 at the break, but as the match progressed, Nico Serfontein’s team took control and finished the match 15 points clear of the Russians.
Coach Nico is reasonably pleased with the way his troops played and was particularly impressed with the way the juniors stood up against the tourists.
“The Russians are always extremely physical, but the youngsters showed that they are more than capable to compete at this level. The average age of our team was just above 20 and for this reason I think today’s game was a very worthwhile exercise to see where we are in terms of our depth in the squad.
“On the day our scrumming stood out and guys like Rossouw de Klerk, Ivann Espag and Corne Fourie deserve a lot of credit. On this point I must add that our scrum coach Wessel Roux is doing a grand job with the front rowers and he should be complemented for all the work that he has done thus far.”
Serfontein, who is one of the assistants of the SA Under 20 team, said the flanker Marnus Schoeman made quite an impression on him with his splendid work in the loose and mentioned that Gerrit-Jan van Velze and Vince Gwavu also played their hearts out.
Amongst the backs scrumhalf Danie Faasen showed his worth and it was interesting to note that the former Pretoria Boys High loose forward Tendayi Chikukwa was used on the wing. Chikukwa was an above average hurdler at school and with guys like Bryan Habana (signed with WP), Akona Ndungane (injured) and Francois Hougaard (injured) not available he will try it out on the wing in the next couple of weeks.
Simphiwe Mtimkulu was solid at inside centre, the 18-year-old Bradley Moolman showed his class and it was great to see that Cornell Hess is back at his east and although the team made a few unforced errors their determination and eagerness more than made up for it.
“I am very excited about 2010’s season and today I saw that the juniors understand how the Blue Bulls must play.
“We could have scored more points, but I am satisfied with the result and we will use the match to prepare for what is going to be an exceptionally tough Vodacom Cup.”
Point scores for Vodacom Blue Bulls: Tries: Tom Seabela, Simphiwe Mtimkulu, Marnus Schoeman, Peet Vorster. Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (2). Penalties: Boshoff (4).
Nog plek in Drotske se finale groep
18/01/2010
Bloemfontein. – Die Vodacom Cheetahs,of spelers wat nog spook om ‘n plek in die finale groep van die Vodacom Super 14 kompetisie, kry die naweek die kans om afrigter Naka Drotske te beindruk voor hy op 5 Februarie sy groep aankondig. Hulle speel Saterdag teen die Oostelike Provinsie in die nuwe Nelson Mandela Bay Stadion.
Daar was verlede week nog sprake van probleme op losskakel, maar intussen blyk dit of die GWK Griekwas se losskakel, Naas Olivier tog op sy pos kan wees vir die eerste wedstryd op 12 Februarie teen die Bulls hier op Vodacom Park.
Daarby behoort die Vodacom Cheetahs vanjaar werklik beter te vaar as verlede seisoen, aangesien hulle nie werklik spelers verloor het wat ‘n leemte gelaat het nie. Die enigste speler wat werklik ‘n verskil kon maak is Jacques-Louis Potgieter wat hom by die Bulls aangesluit het. Die vraag is egter nou of hy speel kans daar sal kry met Morne Steyn, die Springbok-losskakel wat die eerste keuse is en of hy nie nog ‘n ‘Bench-warmer’ gaan word nie.
Wat die Vodacom Cheetahs betref, het hulle die luuksheid om van heelwat spelers te kies om losskakel te speel. Behalwe Oliver is daar nog ook Louis Strydom, Sias Ebersohn en Rian Smit. Laasgenoemde het hom van die Luiperds by die Vrystaters aangesluit en sal in alle waarskynlikheid vir die Vodacombeker-span uitdraf.
Die Vodacom Cheetahs sluit volgende naweek hul voorbereiding hier in af met ‘n wedstryd teen die Vodacombeker-spanne van die Vrystaat en Griekwas, maar eers moet hulle die Oostelike Provinsie in die Baai gaan troef.
Owen Kock
Didn’t know the Russians played rugby superBul, of course that is not counting Prince Obelenski….but he was a long time ago!
I know Romania plays a decent game.
….. and silently Rugby-Talk moved over the 200-blogger mark today with the registration of JAN DIE VUURVRETER……
Nice milestone for us…. time to goooooooooooooi mieliesssssssssssss
…. Oh, and another thing we have had 1467 different visitors to this web site since 7 January 2010 already….
We are growing at a rapid rate, we’re becomming known… the exponential curve is happenning!
Damn, you guys should see the number of differing countries represented in our readership… marvelous, simply stunning!
😐
Will we have to queue to post a comment during the Super 14 matches!!
Don’t want it to be too busy here!! 😆
GBS @ 42 – and may I profer an observation in support of the reasoning as to the successes of RT?
A culture of respect for one’s blogging friends on this site permeates from its webmaster. While heated debate is unavoidable at times (upcoming Super 14 will deliver that in spades)it is always noticeable that things such as bad language and aggressive, critical behaviour towards others detracts from interesting argument. I find RT to be a great vehicle for trying to understand the views/opinions of others – and the fact that those others come from the 4 corners of the earth makes it all the more fascinating.
Congrats to RT on reaching the 200 bloggers milestone, but wait: there’s going to be a whole lot more before the end of the upcoming season!!
Hi GBS, we had a South African kid show up at practice yesterday with his Blue Bulls jersey. He looked pretty good, had all the basic rugby skills as one would expect. He played for Randburg High School. He’s only 15. The most remarkable thing was that his father told me his son had been shot only two weeks ago, in South Africa, the incident arising from a hunting accident. The father was explaining the boy was not in his best form yesterday because of the shooting incident!! Cripes our Yankee boys cry off if they get even get scratched. You Blue Bulls are tough fellas I must say. 🙂
JimT: He was probably shot with a paintball.
gbs @ 35
hehehehe …. ek hettie skimp gevang
sal ñ ander foto aanstuur …. het daai spesifieke een aangestuur omdat mini-me ook op daai foto was, lol
loosehead @ 47
or with blanks, hehehe
46@ Jimmy The Prop – Yip, they build us Bulls from Titanium…. good acquisition that new Bulls kid you have there… now you just need 14 more Bulls kids… and you’ll be unbeatable and unstopable!
… I mean, for farks sakes, not even 10 ton trucks can get us down!!
45 @ Old Griquas winger with the dodgy knees – Thanks friend, that is exactly what we’re striving for here…. healthy banter in a respectful environment.
It inevitably turns out here that we all become friends and a family, it just happens….
My job here, apart from being a blogger, is to be a facilitator…. providing the news, with the help of my fellow Authors… and creating the respectful environment here without being too restrictive… the rest is up to you guys who blog here.
I feel that the balance between rugby, fun & comedy is at exactly the right mix here and you’re damn right, we are going to be joined in droves in the next weeks and months.
48@ Asbakkie – Hehehehe, ek het geweet jy sal dit raaklees….
PS, ek grap net…. jy is nie soooooooooooo lelik nie, veral nie na die 7 ure wat ek ingesit het om jou te Photoshop nie…. hahahaha
gbs @ 52
hehehe, dankie virrie moeite
en
soe by de way,
soe by de wa-a-a-y
ek
sien
photoshop het f*kkol gehelp vir JOU nie!! 😆
53@ Asbakkie – Hulle het noggie ‘n Photoshop uitgebring wat my kan mooi laat lyk nie…. hehehehe
53/54: #19 is spesiaal vir julle twee.
Weren’t we suppose to see a Stormers write up this week?
56 Maybe just an honest mistake ( forgot ). We are talking Stormers here… Yawn…. 😆
56: Wie of wat is dit ? Hier praat ons oor rugby, nie weerpatrone nie. 😉
Ok, hier is my Stormers update!
Stormers gaan die Lions wen met tenminste 7punte.
Van daar af vat ons dit maar game vir game…
GrrotBlouBallas, jy het mail !!!!!!!! Webmonster.
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