The Bulls will not only be fighting to keep their title as the best team in Super Rugby, they will also be fighting to keep their players.
The team’s success in Super Rugby and the seniority of the core squad means that several players whose contracts end this year are being courted with big-money offers.
Reports that the Lions want Bakkies Botha in their team come as no surprise.
More Bulls players are set to be lured to the Lions by big-money offers.
Botha had indicated that he will retire with lock partner Victor Matfield at the end of the year, while information at Sport24’s disposal indicates that Danie Rossouw is heading for Japan.
Rossouw is expected to play for Suntory Sungoliath – the same team that Fourie du Preez has signed for.
The team’s coach, Eddie Jones, was in South Africa last week to finalise contracts with Du Preez and Rossouw.
Du Preez already announced last season that he would play in Japan for three seasons, however there is speculation that should Heyneke Meyer become Springbok coach, du Preez may reconsider his move.
Sport24’s French sources indicate that Toulouse are courting Gurthrö Steenkamp and Gary Botha.
Negotiations with the two players are at an advanced stage, while Wynand Olivier has also been approached by several clubs in France.
Bayonne, who tried to sign Olivier in 2007, have apparently renewed their interest.
Other Bulls players whose contracts expire at the end of the year are Deon Stegmann, Jaco Pretorius and Gerhard van den Heever.
Pretorius and Stegmann have already indicated that they would like to stay on, while apparently there is interest from Australia in contracting Van den Heever.
Blue Bulls Company (BBM) high performance manager Ian Schwartz said that there were plenty of offers being made at present.
“The BBM has the option to aggressively sign new players or support its existing structures. The latter is an option that has delivered good results in the past, but we have never been afraid to look outside the structures.”
The BBM have also acted pro-actively and expanded their depth in certain positions.
Flip van der Merwe, Juandré Kruger and Fudge Mabeta will be able to take over from Botha, Matfield and Rossouw.
Francois Hougaard will step into the void left by Du Preez, while Dean Greyling and Chiliboy Ralepelle can replace Steenkamp and Botha. Stefan Watermeyer can move up to the Bulls squad should Olivier goes to Bayonne.
Courtesy of sport24 by JJ Harmse
We knew about a lot of these before hand but it will still be interesting to see what some of the players decide.
As usual there will be players moving and or retiring but also as usual more than half of the players speculated about will again sign with the Bulls again.
I’m going to a Funeral this afternoon…. a family member on Handbriekie’s side of the family died Friday night…
I don’t like funerals… too many people rock up who neglected their relationships and friendships with the deceased and then proceed to cry and put up one hell of a front.
This old Oomie will be a good example of this, raised 4 or 5 kids of his own and 4 or 5 belonging to his second wife…. strangely enough his “Adopted Children” treated him better through all the years than his own farktup lot… now these farkers will show who they really are.
Don’t you also intensely dislike false people… it is by far my biggest pet pieve in life, I hate false people!
I’d rather take someone like they really are, warts and all.
Someone who is false is nothing but a big time liar… and if they lie, they can steal as well… that’s what my late dad, GBS Maksimus, always said.
Victor nounet getweet op twitter: Koerante praat oor kontrakte wat Bakkies moet teken wat Bakkies nie eers van weet nie
grootblousmile wrote:
my ma sou nog by voeg… dan kan hul moor ook.
Sterkte ou vriend , ek haat begrafnisse net so, was by net 5 in my hele lewe, gelukkig nie baie familie wat dood nie. Maar my 3 oorblywende ouers is nou bejaard en dit sal seker eendag gebeur.
@ Tripples:
@ Tripples:
superBul says:
2011/02/09 at 10:38 pm
Click to Edit
Ons moet die ding beveg, soos destyds toe Bernie Habana hom, Bryan en WO wou smous by die Sharks. Kyk Bakkies se agent try dalk net voelers uitsteek maar ons ondersteuners moet weer begin stem dik maak.
Geen ander SA span moet ons agt groot ikone kry nie, nooit. Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies, F du Preez, Morne Steyn, Danie Roussouw, Wynand Olivier, Gurthro Steenkamp en Bakkies Botha.
Nee magtie man al moet ons weer as ondersteuners geld insamel dit moet net nie gebeur nie.
Dan moet ons van die nuwe geslag Hougaart, Dewalt Potgieter , Stegman , Flippie vdM vasmaak. Kyk ons Unie behoort die Leeus op hul plek te hou ons moet geld he.
Laagvat says:
2011/02/10 at 7:26 am
as bakkies leeus toe moet gaan, sal dit net so erg wees soos uli destyds transvaal toe is.
ek was maar nog ‘n laaitie en uli boelie was een van my groot helde (saam met burger geldenhuys, johan heunis, deon oosthuyzen, en daardie manne). ek het die dag toe daardie nuus gebreek het, al my uli plakkate van die mure afgeskeur. dit het my hard getref!
stem Superbul, en ek stem ook met laagvat, ek onthou ook hoe verpletter ek was dat Uli leeus toe gegaan het, dit was devastating!!!!
super @ 5
tripples @ 6
😯
@ Tripples:
Juis Laagvat se post ook oor gebring van sy blog af want ek het net so de moer in gewees. Daai het die hart uit ons span geruk. Die begin van profesionele rugstekery 😀 of soos hulle dit mooitjies nou profesionele rugby noem.
@ Ashley:
why you in 😯 die groot skok kom nog as AC se planne op is.
super @ 10
lol
just been shocked that you in a professional era are still trying to hang onto players … am i correct in saying that you would give your blessing if those same players went overseas?
..
anyway … maak soes rassie maak … en koep anner!! (ek hoep net rassie maak volgenne keer sieker die d*nnerse bul issie moeite werd!!)
@ Ashley:
Kyk ou maat ons moet veg vir ons wickets, ons manne is prime stock op die mark. Ons gaan weer toue aan die Jakarandas hang daar om Loftus as die bestuur aan die slaap raak. :LOL: of dalk stuur ons vir hulle n bicycle tyre in die pos as n warning. Nee kyk n man moet nie op sy louere rus nie.
Hi guys, hope you’re all well.
Bulletjies, I’ve heard a lot about the strength of the Bulls family culture. I reckon we will know whether this has been merely misplaced optimism or whether it actually is so or not.
You might be surprised to learn that I also hope that its true….
super @ 12
lol
13: hallo fender, hoe gaan dit nog, jou span reg vir die jaar ?
3 en 5: begrafnisse is daar om ons te herinner dat daar meer in die lewe is as hierdie tydelike lewe met sy goeie en slegte tye, en ek vir een, as ek die koerante en media sien elke dag, is baie dankbaar daarvoor.
15@ bdb:
Eishhhhhhhhhhh, ek haat begrafnisse!
Na vanmiddag se begrafnis, terwyl die mense tertjies en smulhappies peusel kry ek toe mos ‘n SMS op my foon, met slegte tyding, my stiefswaer (stiefsussie se man) het Maandagaand sewerage pipe gepleeg en homself bokveld toe geskiet, eerste flippen woord wat ek daarvan hoor is toe die blerrie SMS om te sê Saterdagoggend om 11:00 het ek nog ‘n begrafnis om by te woon…
Selfmoord is die super toppunt van selfsug, sy vrou en dogter is in hulle moer gebroke.
Ek het nie veel van die knaap gehou nie, hy was heeltemal te luid na my sin, maar ek sal begrafnis toe gaan want sy vrou en sy dogter is oulike mense.
Ek sê altyd ek sal nooit kan selfmoord pleeg nie want ek is heeltemal te lief vir myself… hehehe
Nou al 4 mense dood in 2011, wat ek geken het…. dit kom mos maar so in sarsies, nie waar nie.
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