The Bulls are expected to make a press release during September with regards to their 2014 contracted players. Look out for at least 8 SA Schools players to be in that mix. So they will be mounting another serious challenge for top honours come next season. For now though, it’s their powerful 2013 group who are living up to expectations and are currently 7 out of 7 in this year’s Absa under-19 competition. Their lead over the chasing pack is so big coming into this round that even their bye seems to have done little eat into the comfortably on top.
Meanwhile in the under-21 compo, it’s last year’s under-19 champs Province who are the runaway leaders.
| # | UNDER-19 TEAM | P | W | PTS | # | UNDER-21 TEAM | P | W | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Bulls | 7 | 7 | 33 | 1 | Western Province | 8 | 7 | 34 | |
| 2 | Sharks | 8 | 6 | 27 | 2 | Blue Bulls | 7 | 5 | 25 | |
| 3 | Golden Lions | 7 | 5 | 24 | 3 | Sharks | 8 | 5 | 25 | |
| 4 | Western Province | 8 | 3 | 20 | 4 | Free State | 8 | 5 | 24 | |
| 5 | Leopards | 8 | 3 | 19 | 5 | Golden Lions | 7 | 4 | 21 | |
| 6 | Free State | 8 | 2 | 13 | 6 | Leopards | 8 | 1 | 8 | |
| 7 | Border | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Border | 8 | 0 | 2 |
Although the Bulls have gone out and recruited a lot of the best 2012 schoolboy rugby players from around the country, they have not turned a blind-eye to kids from their own regional schools. A table below shows their commitment towards locals. Of the 22 players that won the 2012 Craven Week title, 15 were offered contracts for 2013 of which 4 turned them down while the other 7 players are still at school this year. Of the 11 contracted players Pierre Schoeman, Janse van Rensburg, Heinrich Viljoen and Rohan Janse van Rensburg are regular starters, while the others have all had limited game time during the season.
The Sharks u19’s moved into second place with a convincing 25-9 away victory over the Lions. Making their win so impressive was the fact that they only had 3 contracted players in their entire squad of 23.
Western Province have come right after a very poor start to the under-19 season. Their team consisting predominantly of homegrown players including current HJS schoolboy Dewald Naude, recorded a good 45-36 win against the Leopards in Potch. They had lost 27-28 to the Leopards in Cape Town earlier in the season.
Struggling Free State recorded a vital 28-20 bonus point win against Border in Bloem. This keeps their slim hopes of making the semi-finals alive but they are going to have to play better rugga and are quick approaching the stage where they cannot afford to lose anymore games.
Bulls 2013 u19 contracting:
| # | Name | 2012 Contract Option |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierre Schoeman | contracted by the BB |
| 2 | Francois Steyn | still at school |
| 3 | Johan Bannink | contracted by the BB |
| 4 | Hyron Andrews | still at school |
| 5 | Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg | contracted by the BB |
| 6 | Thabo Mabuza | turned BB offer down for Lions |
| 7 | Heinrich Viljoen | contracted by the BB |
| 8 | Steven Meiring | turned BB offer down for WP |
| 9 | Justin Phillips | still at school |
| 10 | Ryno Eksteen | turned BB offer down for WP |
| 11 | Caswell Khoza | contracted by the BB |
| 12 | Rohan Janse van Rensburg | contracted by the BB |
| 13 | Jurie Linde | still at school |
| 14 | Marcus Kleinbooi | contracted by the BB |
| 15 | Jaco Hayward | contracted by the BB |
| 16 | Vean Roodt | still at school |
| 17 | Dayan van der Westhuizen | contracted by the BB |
| 18 | Johan Ras | contracted by the BB |
| 19 | Bobby de Wee | contracted by the BB |
| 20 | George-Lee Erasmus | still at school |
| 21 | Chad McKay | turned BB offer down for Lions |
| 22 | Marquit September | still at school |
@Woltrui: Ja Woltrui, en toe Uli kon, kom woon hy naby my in Onrustrivier, Hermanus, voor hy oorsee is. En die oorspronklike Blou Bul, Uli se pa, Louis, het op de Kelders kom woon. Sien, so gou hul kan, kom hulle. Dis nou die slimmes. Die res van die Loftusgangers het huise verniet gekry by Zuma in Danville, en gaan nou nie meer Loftus toe nie. Hulle het nou hulle eie tuine om in te braai en klippies drink terwyl hulle lekker buite op hul Cortinaseats sit wat hulle by die scrapyard gekoop het.
@Woltrui: Heard Ackerman in matric next year. However, his birthday is something like 30 December hence he will not be u.18 but u.19. Wonder whether the Bulls u.19’s may select him and whether they may select a school boy. If I was in his dad’s shoes I would have let him play for the Bulls. You never know how long Ackerman will be Lions coach!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@vatikaki: As ek geweet het mag ek nie se nie. Ons maggie met die vyand heul nie. Ons is veral nie lus om met julle pokin WIEPIE bergbokke te gesels na die naweek nie
@Deon: As ek reg onthou het een van ons “intelligente” boitjies, dr Uli Boelie Schmidt, julle bergbokkies gereeld goed opgefoeter daar op Nuweland?? Wat gaan aan met julle krieket Deon? Sien julle kry maar swaar op julle toer hier in die Noorde.
@BoishaaiPa: Blykbaar was dit die dronk Sharkie ref wat die CW game tussen die WP en die Champs geblaas het. Ons is lus vir ‘n rematch op O/19 vlak.
Grappies op n stokkie. Julle bergbokke het verdien om die wedstryd te wen. Die BB CW span het egter baie talent en ek dink nie die wedstryd was ‘n goeie refleksie van die seuns se vermoens nie. Hou gerus die Van Wyk laaities, Kloof se voorry, dop volgende jaar.
@Woltrui. Henco Pretorius is duidelik ‘n baie intelligente jong man. Nege onderskeidings sit nie in enige iemand se broek nie. Ongelukkig vir die Blou Bulle sal so ‘n intelligente jong man nie vrywillig op Loftus gesien word, of eerder nie in ‘n Blou Bul trui nie. Intellligensie, Blou Bul en Loftus is net nie woorde en terme wat saam hoort nie. Tensy julle GROOT geld wil spandeer op hom. Ek is seker hy sal gratis Kaap toe kom.
@Ludz: I agree about Chris de Beer, played 8th man for most of his schoolboy rugby, converted to hooker in 2012, and probably lost out to CW due to PDI issues. He is 184 and 108kg’s. He was weighing in at 114 and was asked to trim down by his coaches. Watch him, if we can keep him.
@Woltrui: Dis lyk darem baie soos daai Blou Bul Cravenweek span wat pak gevat het by WP of hoe?…
@vatikaki: yeah, the guys you mentioned will most probably be in and around there, don’t write off Sharks u19 captain for hooking berth, Chris de Beer, people who’ve watched him this year speak very highly of the young man.
Interesting that you noted Kings lock/loose forward Kevin Kaba as a potential candidate. He plays in an unfavourable division, but he stands out like a sore thumb. What a player that young lad is gonna be. He was once a utility player, remember seeing him at u14 and u15, played all over the place, centre, fullback, lock, flank. Outstanding player, not sure if he’ll make it because he’s in the B division. I’m glad you took note though, he’s gonna be a really good player, probably too short for lock, but watch him at blinside flank
@vatikaki: Els playing for GCB by default played FS CW, so nothing to be read into that. In addition the 2012 GCB crop was probably not the best they delivered in recent times either…
Should we elaborate, once again, why Arno did not make WP CW last year? What matters is that he did play in a very good WP Academy side and was recruited with a strong group of BB signings for 2013, unlike his peers…
The BB’s seem to running a strong squad system rather than straight 1st and 2nd choice players, but even as a so-called 2nd stringer, in your words, he is a sight better than what we have starting and on the bench here at the moment.
@Woltrui:
Naudé has another year left at school no?
Sometimes we sound negative towards our beloved Bulls. Fact is I am very happy for the core group of players from Pretoria schools in the successful U/19 Bulls group.
Hopefully the following pretoria laaities will have an opportunity at the Bulls in 2014:
1. Van Wyk (Kloof)
2. Steyn (Affies)
3. Van Wyk (Kloof)
4. De Beer?? (Kloof)
5. RG Snyman (Affies)
6. Joyce
7. Allison (Also a good 4) and Joyce
8. Ackerman?? Suppose he will go to Lions
9. Van Zyl (Affies)
10. Venter (Affies)
11.
12. Naude (Garsies)
13. Linde (Affies)
14.
15. Thys Van Wyk (Affies)
Through in one or two talented players from outside the town and we got another championship team in the making.
@Muzi:
Forgetting about size…
You’ve got Corniel Els playing for Grey College 1st-XV and the Free State Craven Week side…
And Arno van Wyk who didn’t make Craven Week…
Just pointing out you can’t be picking second-stringers for the Baby Boks side.
@vatikaki: @Ploegskaar:
Concerning Arno van Wyk I just looked at his stats…he’s 111kgs and 1.84…Corne Els is the same height but only 100kgs….I definitely know who I would go into battle with……
@Ploegskaar:
My point was rather that… can you really tip the guy to make the Baby Boks side when he’s not the starter for his U19 team?
He’s started 2 of the 7 games so far by the way. Corniel Els the clear starter at this stage.
Have not seen Arno van Wyk play though… May be missing something
@vatikaki: To my knowledge he has started this season as well, so not only on the bench. And when he has played off the bench, he has contributed. You seemingly don’t rate him though, as was the case last year when he had to play second fiddle down here. Not knocking you, you know I am behind the WPRI and WPRA, I am the first to acknowledge that we cannot net all the talent in our big player pool, but 2012 was a poor effort by the SoE et al. I may also be wrong about Arno, but think there is a much better than even chance I’m not, and deep down I think you also know you missed a sitter.
@Ploegskaar:
Arno van Wyk is sitting on the bench behind Corniel Els…
@vatikaki: Chad who? Let’s not go down that road again. Arno van Wyk, who you should have signed in the first place, should be in the mix. Glad to see that another 2012 Boland boy, Keagon Gordon, also stars in the current top u/19 CC team in the country and like you said, should be in the mix as well.
@vatikaki: I have to agree with most of your probables for jwc2014…The day Pieter Jordaan plays Currie Cup is the day I stop watching Currie Cup rugby…this guy is piss poor and only plays at any union because of his name(or that of his brother) and where he was schooled…since he has no Dries Swanepoel or Jan Serfontein next to him, he has shown absolutely nothing but the fact that he is over rated…the guy cant run a game or kick a ball…we should however be very strong on 10/12/13,14 and 15 next year.
@BoishaaiPa: Ja Henco is ook ‘n goeie krieket speler. Het in die top orde gekolf en was ‘n skaflike naatbouler.
PROPS: Assume that Pierre Schoeman will be handed the loosehead jersey, and Wilco Louw is the tighthead with the biggest reputation currently playing U19 rugby. Could find that Dayan vd Westhuizen usurps him though maybe? Going to be short on ‘PDI’ players.
HOOKER: Assume this will go to Malcolm Marx? Chad Solomon made SA Schools last year, as did Francois Esterhuyzen, who is an U19 at Tygerberg this year.
LOCKS: Gideon Koegelenberg out for the season. Stephan Vermeulen injured at the moment but has played a bit of rugby for both the Lions U19’s and U21’s this season. Nico Janse van Rensburg starting at the Bulls… or will JD Schickerling be a Baby Boks starting lock 2 years in a row? Kevin Kaba has also played a few games for the EP Kings U21 side at lock, and a couple for their U19 side at No. 8. Daniel du Preez at school.
LOOSE-FORWARDS: Look forward to seeing what they do at openside. Thabo Mabuza is teeny-tiny and surely has no future as a professional? Aidon Davis is sure to be handed the 7 or (more likely) 8 jersey. Others who were in last years SA Schools team: Jano Venter… or those still at school, Jean-Luc du Preez and Abongile Nonkontwana.
SCRUMHALVES: Does this go to Cameron Wright? Or can one of Akhona Sihunu or JP Smith lay claim to the jersey?
FLYHALVES: Almost sure to go to Handré Pollard. But who his back-up will be is an interesting question. For the SA Schools side it was Ryno Eksteen, but he is out for the season. Jaco van der Walt has skipped U19 rugby completely and is playing for the Lions U-21’s. Kobus Marais has also played a few times for the Bulls U-21’s. Jean-Luc du Plessis being spoken of very highly in Durban. Pieter Jordaan probably a less likely choice but could still find himself playing Currie Cup rugby within the next couple of years? Josh Stander also has plenty of ground to make up.
Centres: Rohan Janse van Rensburg will be the 12. Who partners him at 13 will be interesting. Should be either André Esterhuizen or Daniel Kriel. Neither were in SA Schools, with Esterhuizen being banned for racist slur and Kriel being injured. Sandile Kubhekawas also a part of last years SA Schools squad, as were schoolboys Warrick Gelant and Jurie Linde.
Wingers: Sergeal Petersen a sure thing on one side. He was also the only matric winger to make the SA Schools side last year, with the other two both returning for their matric year in 2013 (Duhan van der Merwe and Jixie Molapo). Ganfried May, Keagon Gordon and Caswell Khoza getting regular game-time at the Bulls. May & Khoza made the wider training squad for SA Schools last year, as did Marcus Kleinbooi and Selvyn Davids (who returned to school for post-matric).
Fullback: Will go to Jesse Kriel, who might be made captain as well? A guess at his deputy… either Ganfried May or Jason Worrall?
@Woltrui: Het hy nie ook krieket gespeel vir Affies nie?
Going by Twitter… looks like Josh Stander is back training again.
Next years U20 JWC squad is going to be very interesting.
Will have a quick look at it below.
@Woltrui: Skuus. Henco Postumus. Nie Henco Pretorius.
Ek vir een is baie bly dat dit voorkom of die Blou Bulle hulle beleid tov die Pretoria seuns verander het. Vir ons as Pretoria skole rugby ondersteuners was dit werklik teleurstellend om te sien hoe die matriek groepe van 2010 en 2011 behandel was. Alhoewel die 2011 Craven Week span nie suksesvol was nie het Pretoria een van die sterkste Matriek groepe in die land gehad. Beide Affies en Kloof se 1 ste spanne was van die beste in die land. In my opinie het ons weer die jaar ‘n sterk matriek groep.
TOV die O/19 Blou Bulle. Indien daar ‘n probleem op 10 is (ek sien daar word tans ‘n 9 op 10 gebruik) kan die keurders gerus ‘n laaitie met die naam Henco Pretorius by Tukkies se ingeneur studente gaan opsoek. Was adjudant vir Ryno Eksteen by Affies in 2012. Skool speler met die beste hande wat ek lank laas gesien het. Was ook n beter stelskopper as Ryno. Henco sou in die meeste Craven Week spanne ingestap het. Die laaitie het egter iets soos 9 onderskeidings in matriek gehad en ek twyfel of rugby by hom n prioriteit was. Om Dok Craven aantehaal “‘n Ball speler”.