Currie Cup
Jaco Kriel
Jaco Kriel is back to lead the Xerox Golden Lions against the Vodacom Blue Bulls for the ABSA Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday 12 September.
With Kriel back for his 39th Currie Cup match for the Golden Lions, Kwagga Smith drops to the bench, while Martin Muller also returns from injury in the place of MB Lusaseni while Mullers’ lock partner Franco Mostert is also back.
Ross Cronjé and his Springbok halfback partner Marnitz Boshoff also makes a welcome return.
Cronjé replaces Lohan Jacobs. Boshoff runs out in the place of Jaco van der Walt, who moves to the bench.
In other changes Robbie Coetzee returns to the fray at hooker in a rotational move which sees Malcolm Marx take up the No 16 jersey and Ruan Dreyer is at tighthead prop.
Courtnall Skosan comes in for the injured Anthony Volmink at wing in the only other change to the starting line-up.
Nic Groom
Nic Groom will take over the captaincy for DHL Western Province from injured No 8 Nizaam Carr – against the Cell C Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
DHL WP will be looking to dominate a ressurgent Sharks team in their own backyard.
There has also been a late change from the announced team, with Kurt Coleman dropping out due to a calf strain, replaced by Robert du Preez at flyhalf and with Demetri Catrakilis on the bench as flyhalf cover.
Sikhumbuzo Notshe returns from injury to start at No 8 in 1 of only 3 changes made to the starting line-up from last weekend’s confidence boosting 33 / 15 win over the ORC Griquas.
Carr has a hamstring injury and will not be fit to face the Sharks.
The other changes to the Province starting 15 sees Dillyn Leyds start on the right wing, in place of Kobus van Wyk – who drops down to the bench.
Exciting young talent Huw Jones will make his 1st start in the Currie Cup in place of Jaco Taute at inside centre.
The fit-again pairing of prop Oli Kebble and scrumhalf Jano Vermaak, come onto the bench this week – in the place of JP Smith and Godlen Masimla, respectively.
Cell C Sharks commemmorative jersey in celebration of 125 years.
The Cell C Sharks will play in a commemorative jersey when they tackle DHL Western Province in a Currie Cup clash at Growthpoint Kings Park on Saturday.
This year the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union celebrates its 125 year anniversary, and in celebration of this proud milestone, the Sharks have opted to alter their kit for the game against WP.
According to the Sharks, the design of the jersey will have a striking resemblance to the 1st ever Currie Cup jersey the old Natal played in.
Thomas du Toit will pack down at loosehead prop for the Sharks against WP after he recently declared that his preferred position is tighthead. Du Toit believes that his physique is better suited to anchoring the scrum, although he wasn’t out of place at loosehead prop. Du Toit has been playing tighthead since his school days, however his selection at loosehead this week means that he is still being used as a utility prop much like Springboks Coenie Oosthuizen and Trevor Nyakane.
MJ Mentz – Pumas head coach
Steval Pumas head coach, MJ Mentz, decided to make 8 changes to his Pumas team for this coming weekend’s ABSA Currie Cup match against the ORC Griquas in Kimberley.
After a narrow 26 / 27 loss to the Cell C Sharks in Durban, they will face a tough trip to Kimberley – where they will meet a very physical Griquas team.
Vincent Koch’s is the most notable absentee from the front row – De-Jay Terblanché comes in for the Springbok prop.
Koch is still nursing a knock to the knee that he picked up while he was a part of the Springbok training squad – as a precautionary measure he will be given the week off to recover.
In the backline Hoffmann Maritz replaces JW Bell at fullback.
Jerome Pretorius and Deon Helberg form a new look centre-pairing.
Justin van Staden also replaces JC Roos at flyhalf.
Francois du Toit will play at hooker with Jacques Momberg dropping out of the squad.
Giant Mtyanda makes a welcome return and he will partner Rudi Mathee at lock, with Marnus Schoeman back at openside flank – with last week’s 2 locks, Jaco Bouwer and Marius Coetzer, dropping to the bench.
Hawies Fourie
ORC Griquas coach Hawies Fourie has made 5 changes to his team as they seek a 1st win of the season against the Steval Pumas this weekend.
Fourie has decided to stick with the core of the team that managed to frustrate DHL Western Province for much of their encounter at Newlands last Saturday.
Fourie’s team are still winless after 5 Rounds this season, but have been more competitive in recent weeks.
Versatile Springbok Sevens player Ruhan Nel moves from the left to the right wing – in place of Sandile Ngcobo.
Jacquin Jansen will play on the left wing.
Jonathan Ardendorf started on the bench last week, but will be given a starting berth in place of RJ Liebenburg at flank.
Johan Wessels comes in for Hilton Lobberts at lock.
Hooker Martin Bezuidenhout will move down to the bench – he will be replaced by AJ Le Roux, in what appears to be a rotational change.
Brent Janse van Rensburg
EP Kings Kings coach, Brent Janse van Rensburg, has called back a host of his stalwarts for friday’s match against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.
Experienced centre Tim Whitehead will lead the EP Kings as they chase their 1st ABSA Currie Cup win this season – at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, in Port Elizabeth.
Regular captain Luke Watson remains sidelined with a leg injury, however, lock Steven Sykes is back from a rib problem to lead the pack.
Van Rensburg has made several changes to the team which went down to the Xerox Golden Lions in Johannesburg last weekend.
He said he believed they had the best combination to combat the Free State Cheetahs.
Whitehead is partnered by JP du Plessis in the centres and Ronnie Cooke is replaced at centre, due to a broken toe.
Sykes starts ahead of Cornell Hess, who is dropped to the bench.
Nollis Marais
The Vodacom Bulls’ search for a replacement for Super Rugby coach Frans Ludeke will start in earnest when the union advertise for the vacant position over the weekend.
Bulls chief executive Barend van Graan announced the latest development after Ludeke stepped down following the team’s final match of the competition in June.
“We will advertise for the Vodacom Bulls coach position for next year and it will be in the media over the weekend,” Van Graan said in Pretoria on Thursday.
“We will then have a process which takes time depending on the amount of applications we receive.”
Van Graan would not reveal whether the Bulls had done any headhunting prior to advertising the position.
Teboho Mohoje
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs will have a new captain when they tackle the winless Eastern Province Kings in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
Teboho ‘Oupa’ Mohoje, who failed to make the Springbok Rugby World Cup squad, will lead the Free State Cheetahs out in this Round 6 encounter at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Mohoje takes over form regular captain Francois Uys, who will play off the bench on Friday.
The Springbok loose forward (Mohoje) and Henco Venter will be switching places – with Mohoje included in the starting line-up, with Venter on the bench.
Other changes to the pack will see Reniel Hugo starting at lock ahead of Uys.
Jacques du Toit will start at hooker ahead of Elandre Hugget, who drops down to the replacement bench.
The only backline change will see Springbok Cornal Hendricks make his Currie Cup debut for the Free State Cheetahs, replacing fellow Springbok discard Raymond Rhule on left wing.
Hansie Graaff
Eastern Province Kings fullback Hansie Graaff was suspended for 1 match, after being found guilty of striking an opponent in their Currie Cup Premier Division clash against the Xerox Golden Lions in Johannesburg last Saturday.
As a result of the sanction he will miss the EP King’s next match against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in Port Elizabeth on Friday evening.
Julian Redelinghuys
Warren Whiteley
Warren Whiteley (calf) will not be available for selection for the game against the Blue Bulls on Saturday.
Julian Redelinghuys has a chest injury and will miss training on Monday and Tuesday. He will have to pass a late fitness test on Thursday to play at the weekend.
Martin Muller (ankle) may be available for selection if he passes a fitness test scheduled for Thursday.
Stokkies Hanekom (jaw) should be available for selection but no contact Monday and Tuesday.
Anthony Volmink is out with concussion.
Jaco van der Walt (chest) should be available for selection but no contact Monday and Tuesday.
Deon Stegmann
Dean Greyling
Springboks Deon Stegmann and Dean Greyling are fit again and will be considered for the Vodacom Blue Bulls’ ABSA Currie Cup match against the Xerox Golden Lions on Saturday.
Stegmann (cheek) missed the last 3 and Greyling (knee) the last match of the team’s campaign.
Utility back and former Springbok Sevens player, Ryan Nell, has also been cleared following a knee operation and will be considered.
Another player returning from injury is Duncan Matthews. The winger had a knee operation earlier in the season and will do selective training this week.
4 Players involved in Saturday’s win over the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, Marvin Orie (chest), Travis Ismail (ribs) and RG Snyman (contusion) will train Tuesday, while Tian Snyman (calf) will only be back on the field Thursday, team doctor Org Strauss confirmed.
Sikhumbuzo Notshe
Oli Kebble
DHL Western Province have been boosted by the availability of prop Oli Kebble and flank Sikhumbuzo Notshe as they prepare to face the Cell C Sharks in a Currie Cup clash in Durban on Saturday.
Kebble (hamstring) was sidelined for WP’s last 2 matches, while Notshe (AC joint) missed last weekend’s 33 / 15 win over ORC Griquas at Newlands.
Both players were back at training on Monday will be available for selection this week.
Scrumhalf Jano Vermaak, who had been sidelined in recent weeks by a finger injury, is also back at training and may be considered.
Following their 37 / 21 Currie Cup defeat to the Xerox Golden Lions in Johannesburg at the weekend, the EP Kings have reported new injury concerns.
- Lock Cameron Lindsay suffered a knee injury in the defeat and will see a specialist on Wednesday.
- Centre Ronnie Cooke picked up a toe injury and was sent for X-rays on Monday.
- JP du Plessis who replaced Cook, also suffered an injury. Du Plessis has a soft tissue knee injury and will be monitored during the week.
- Lock Steven Stykes – who missed last week’s clash due to a rib injury – will also be monitored during the week.
Players on the long-term injury list include flyhalf / centre Shane Gates (foot), flank Jacques Engelbrecht (hip), lock David Bulbring (shoulder), flyhalf Gary van Aswegen (knee), flank Aidon Davis (knee) and flyhalf / fullback George Whitehead (knee).
ABSA Currie Cup pacesetters the Xerox Golden Lions and Vodacom Blue Bulls continued with their unbeaten run over the weekend, while 2014 winners DHL Western Province returned to winning ways after suffering 2 losses in a row.
The Xerox Golden Lions are top of the Premier Division Log standings thanks to a 37 / 21 win over the embattled Eastern Province Kings.
Despite racing into a 19 / 0 lead very early on, the EP Kings rallied back with a spirited performance and the Golden Lions could only seal their success with a late surge on Saturday evening in Johannesburg.
Thanks to their bonus-point win at home, the Golden Lions now Top the log with 25 Log points, 1 more than the Vodacom Blue Bulls, who triumphed 24 / 17 over a resilient Toyota Free State Cheetahs on a cold and wet Friday evening in Pretoria.
Western Province turned on the style in the 2nd half to score a much needed bonus-point 33 / 15 victory over the ORC Griquas at DHL Newlands on Saturday after suffering 2 consecutive defeats. The Cape side have 15 points and remains in 3rd spot.
At Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban, the Cell C Sharks held off a tremendous effort from the Steval Pumas to make it 2 wins in a row thanks to their close-fought 27 / 26 win over the visitors. The Sharks are 4th on the Log and just 2 points behind DHL WP.
Nizaam Carr
DHL Western Province look set to lose their 2nd captain this Currie Cup season.
Juan de Jongh is still a long term concern after the knee injury he picked up mid-August against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, and now Nizaam Carr faces a spell on the sidelines too.
The WP No 8 left the field towards the end of the 1st half in his side’s eventual 33 / 15 win over ORC Griquas at Newlands on Saturday, and coach John Dobson confirmed after the match that his skipper was doubt for next weekend’s trip to the Cell C Sharks.
“Very much so,” was his response when asked if Carr was now in doubt for the Sharks game.
Golden Lions (27) 37 / 21 (14) EP Kings (Final Score)
The Xerox Golden Lions and Eastern Province Kings did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup at
Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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WP (13) 33 / 15 (9) Griquas (Final Score)
DHL Western Province and ORC Griquas did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup at
DHL Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Sharks (10) 27 / 26 (13) Pumas (Final Score)
The Cell C Sharks and Steval Pumas did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup at
Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Blue Bulls (11) 24 / 17 (7) FS Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls and Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the ABSA Currie Cup at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & CSN on TV in SA.
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The ABSA Currie Cup competition this week will be lit up by a host of Springboks who missed the Rugby World Cup cut.
They are sure to grab a substantial portion of the spotlight, as the Currie Cup race begins to heat up.
However, there is also the ongoing financial circus in Port Elizabeth that is threatening to turn the Eastern Province Kings into a circus act.
Among the Springbok discards who will feature in South Africa’s premier domestic competition this week are Marcel van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Teboho ‘Oupa’ Mohoje (Toyota Free State Cheetahs), Vincent Koch (Steval Pumas) and Cobus Reinach (Cell C Sharks).
Then there are Bok training squad members Scarra Ntubeni and Steven Kitshoff, who will both start in the front row for DHL Western Province.
Vincent Koch
Steval Pumas coach MJ Mentz wasted no time in drafting back his Springbok prop, Vincent Koch.
Koch, who will play at tighthead, is 1 of 3 changes to the starting 15 that will tackle the Cell C Sharks in Durban on Saturday in a Currie Cup Round 5 match.
Koch, who missed the Rugby World Cup cut will start in place of Khwezi Mona, who drops down to the replacement bench.
Jaco Bouwer and Marnus Schoeman are changing places, with Bouwer starting at flank and Schoeman on the bench.
The final change to the starting 15 sees Hoffmann Maritz getting his 1st start, at centre, after playing 2 matches off the bench. Jerome Pretorius drops down to the bench.
The Eastern Province Kings will field a team against the Xerox Golden Lions at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.
However, it does not resemble their 1st-choice 15 in any way.
It was confirmed late on Thursday that the Currie Cup Round 5 encounter in Johannesburg will go ahead, after several days of uncertainty – the result of EP Kings players going on strike over non-payment of salaries.
The South African Rugby Players Association (SARPA), when they arrived in Port Elizabeth on Thursday afternoon, were informed that the outstanding salaries had been paid.
However, the veil of secrecy remained over the entire saga, as nobody was prepared to comment.
EP Kings coach Brent Janse van Rensburg named a team that showed 10 changes from the side which lost to the Cell C Sharks last week, but he was “unavailable” to comment on the changes.
Steven Kitshoff
Springbok training squad members Scarra Ntubeni and Steven Kitshoff will both start in the front row for DHL Western Province in Saturday’s ABSA Currie Cup clash against ORC Griquas at DHL Newlands.
Ntubeni replaces Bongi Mbonambi at hooker, whilst Kitshoff comes in for Ali Vermaak at loosehead prop, with coach John Dobson making a total of 5 personnel changes to the starting line-up that went down 21 / 28 to the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein last Friday.
The other changes to the DHL WP starting 15 sees Nic Groom and Kurt Coleman team up as halfback pairing, whilst livewire flanker Chris Cloete will start in the No 6 jersey with Rynhardt Elstadt filling in for Sikhumbuzo Notshe (shoulder) in the No 7 shirt.
On the bench, meanwhile, Chris van Zyl is over his knee injury to slot in as the lock replacement, fit-again Jurie van Vuuren will provide loose forward cover and inside back Robert du Preez is set for his 1st taste of ABSA Currie Cup action this season.
Warren Whiteley
Xerox Golden Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has named his team to face the Eastern Province Kings at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday.
Ackermann has followed through with his rotation policy, making wholesale changes to the side which downed the Steval Pumas in Nelspruit last weekend.
In the forwards, Malcolm Marx and Julian Redelinghuys will start in the front row. MB Lusaseni is included at lock.
Most notably, Warren Whiteley was supposed to return at No 8 to captain the side but he pulled his calf at Thursday training. As a result, Fabian Booysen is retained at No 8.
Howard Mnisi has been selected to captain the side from the centre berth.
Additionally, there have been 5 personnel changes to the Xerox Golden Lions backline. Lohan Jacobs will start at scrumhalf, while Jaco van der Walt has been given an opportunity to start at flyhalf.
Anthony Volmink will start at left wing, while Ruan Combrinck shifts to right wing to make space for Andries Coetzee who returns from injury this week, at fullback. Additionally, Stokkies Hanekom will start at outside centre.
Cobus Reinach
The Cell C Sharks host the Steval Pumas in their return leg ABSA Currie Cup match at Growthpoint Kings Park on Saturday, looking to use a number of factors to their advantage to reverse the 1st Round result.
Although that victory was something of a shock, the Pumas are a tough prospect at home and in the 1st Round, were able to use continuity following their Vodacom Cup success to overcome a new-look Cell C Sharks side, missing many players.
But that was a month ago and the team have been able to build continuity and develop partnerships and combinations and they will be looking for a growth in improvement as well as home ground advantage to see off the visitors from Mpumalanga.
Odwa Ndungane has been ruled out of the match with a rib joint sprain and has been joined on the sidelines by Michael Claassens who suffered a lower back contusion in last week’s clash with the EP Kings.
Hilton Lobberts
ORC Griquas coach Hawies Fourie has made several changes to his team as they prepare to face DHL Western Province in a Currie Cup clash at Newlands on Saturday.
Flank Hilton Lobberts is back in the starting team to replace Johan Wessels, after the Springbok was dropped to the bench for last weekend’s clash against the Vodacom Blue Bulls.
RJ Liebenberg moves to No 7 flank, with the loose trio completed by Carel Greeff at No 8.
Fourie also made 2 changes to his front row, with Stephan Kotze coming in at tighthead prop, while Martin Bezuidenhout replaces AJ le Roux at hooker.
In the backline, Springbok Sevens player Ruhan Nel starts at left wing, while Jonathan Francke replaces Michael van der Spuy in midfield.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) may have to bail out the Eastern Province Rugby Union to end a player strike.
An ongoing stand-off between EP Rugby and the players, over the non-payment of salaries, has put in jeopardy the Currie Cup match between the Xerox Golden Lions and EP Kings in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The latest controversy follows a similar dispute in July, when New Zealander Carlos Spencer – then a member of the coaching panel – walked away from the team over non-payment of salaries.
The players were eventually paid at the end of July, with some reports claiming that it was the result of a SARU intervention.
Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) President Cheeky Watson responded with a terse “no comment”, when approached over the ongoing financial crisis at the Port Elizabeth-based union.
The South African Rugby Players Association (SARPA) confirmed they will meet with the players on Thursday, as the latest stand-off drags into a 3rd day.
Teboho Mohoje
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs will play Springbok Teboho Mohojé off the bench when they take on the Vodacom Blue Bulls on Friday.
The Currie Cup Round 5 match in Pretoria will see Mohojé rejoin the Free State Cheetahs after failing to make the cut for the Springboks’ Rugby World Cup squad.
Free State Cheetahs coach Franco Smith made just 1 change to the starting 15 for the trip to Loftus Versfeld.
Jacques du Toit and Elandre Hugget switch places at hooker, with Huggett starting and Du Toit on the bench.
While Mohoje found a spot on the Free State Cheetahs bench, there was no place in the matchday 22 for the Free State Cheetahs’ other discarded Springbok, wing Cornal Hendricks.
Jan Serfontein
Marcel van der Merwe
Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais named Springbok prop Marcel van der Merwe in his starting front-row and added Springbok midfielder Jan Serfontein to his bench for Friday’s ABSA Currie Cup match against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld.
Marais also has Francois Hougaard back in the starting team after the scrumhalf missed last week’s win over the ORC Griquas due to personal reasons. He replaces Ivan van Zyl who moves back to the bench.
Hougaard’s return is the only change in the backline, but Marais made 3 changes in the pack. Van der Merwe comes in for Werner Kruger, who is rested and a fit-again Roelof Smit comes in for Jannes Kirsten at flank, with the latter moving to the bench. In the other change, Dean Greyling will be replaced by Pierre Schoeman. Greyling has a knee strain and with Schoeman fit and ready to go following a long injury lay-off, Marais decided to give Greyling a break.
Under 21 regular Schoeman will make his debut in the competition, but has played for the Blue Bulls in the Vodacom Cup.
Serfontein comes in for Dan Kriel, who will return to the Under 21 team.
Cheeky Watson
EP Kings players and the union’s management are again at loggerheads over apparent delays in player payments.
The cash-strapped union was unable to pay players for several months earlier in the season, but the issue was thought to be resolved last month when EP president Cheeky Watson announced that the players were compensated up until the end of July.
However, similar issues appear to have risen again with regards to August’s salaries, and according to CEO Charl Crous they are working at “resolving the matter”.
There is believed to be a threat of a player strike, although Crous said he received no communication in that regard.
William Small-Smith
Jan Serfontein
Most coaches wouldn’t see it as a problem, but Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais has a welcome headache this week when he makes his selection for Friday night’s ABSA Currie Cup game against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld.
As 1 of the unluckiest players not to be selected for the Springboks, midfielder Jan Serfontein has returned to Loftus this week to continue in the Currie Cup, and his return coincides with his SA Under 20 midfield partner William Small-Smith also being declared fit from injury.
But it isn’t as if the Blue Bulls are seriously short of midfielders as they continue their unbeaten start to the Currie Cup season either. The current duo of Burger Odendaal and Dries Swanepoel have been exceptional in their play of late and Swanepoel scored twice in the big win over Griquas on the weekend.
So Marais now sits with the headache of how to make 4 go into 3 – with 1 unlucky player likely to lose out on 1 of the 2 starting berths and a place on the bench this weekend when they host the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.
Sikhumbuzo Notshe
Steven Kitshoff
DHL Western Province flank Sikhumbuzo Notshe will miss this Saturday’s Currie Cup clash against ORC Griquas with an AC Joint injury.
The impressive Notshe is not expected to be out for longer than a week, but coach John Dobson does have some loose forward options to replace him.
“Jurie van Vuuren is back to full fitness and someone like Chris Cloete deserves an opportunity, after coming off the bench so far,” coach John Dobson said.
“Chris starting would mean Rynhardt Elstadt moving back to No 7, but we’re comfortable either way in our players.”
In other news, Springbok squad member Steven Kitshoff (loosehead prop) and Barbarians representative Nic Groom (scrumhalf) are both available for selection this week.
Warren Whiteley
Players who failed to make the final 31-man Springbok Rugby World Cup squad have rejoined their respective provinces for ABSA Currie Cup duty.
Out of the original 49 players named prior to this year’s Rugby Championship, 18 will either be available for their South African provinces or jet off to rejoin their overseas clubs.
This means Warren Whiteley (Xerox Golden Lions), Vincent Koch (Steval Pumas), Lionel Mapoe (Xerox Golden Lions), Cornal Hendricks (Toyota Free State Cheetahs), Marcell Coetzee (Cell C Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Cell C Sharks), Scarra Ntubeni (DHL Western Province), Oupa Mohoje (Toyota Free State Cheetahs), Franco Mostert (Xerox Golden Lions), Marcel van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Steven Kitshoff (DHL Western Province) and Frans Steyn (Cell C Sharks) can be considered for Currie Cup duty from this weekend.
Players like Heinrich Brussow (Docomo Red Hurricanes, Japan), Elton Jantjies (NTT Shining Arcs, Japan), Jaque Fourie (Kobelco Steelers) and Heinke van der Merwe (Stade Francais, France) will head for their overseas clubs.
The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd on Monday confirmed that a number of high profile Springboks have extended their contracts with the Blue Bulls Company for the next couple of seasons.
The likes of Handré 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 Blue Bulls Comapany, Xander Janse van Rensburg.
The Xerox Golden Lions swopped places with the Vodacom Blue Bulls at the Top of the ABSA Currie Cup standings after their comprehensive 41 / 11 win over the Steval Pumas on Friday in Nelspruit, with flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff contributing 21 points with the boot.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls proved too strong for ORC Griquas in their Premier Division clash on Saturday in Kimberley and although they won their match comfortably by 46 / 32, they slipped to 2nd spot on the Log after the completion of Round 4, on points difference.
Elsewhere on Saturday, the Cell C Sharks scored a close-fought 24 / 20 win over the Eastern Province Kings after they overturned a 7 / 13 halftime deficit in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
DHL Western Province, the defending champions, suffered their 2nd successive away loss when the Toyota Free State Cheetahs pipped them by 28 / 21 in Bloemfontein on Friday evening despite a spirited rally in the 2nd half.
After 4 Rounds it is the Golden Lions now leading the Log thanks to their 30-point win in Nelspruit, closely followed by the Blue Bulls. The neighbours both have the maximum 20 points from 4 matches. Western Province and Free State Cheetahs (both 10 points) are 3rd and 4th, with the Sharks 5th and now just 1 point behind them. The Pumas (8 points), EP Kings (3 points) and Griquas (1 point) complete the standings.