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The Citizen
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
OPINION: Bulls' action trumps Lions' inaction in quest for URC glory
The Bulls have removed Director of Rugby Jake White, while the Lions have yet to announce their coaching structure for the next season of the URC. The Bulls' action, in swiftly showing Director of Rugby Jake White the door at the slightest bit of discontent, is in stark contrast to the Lions' inaction in keeping things the same, despite their struggles in the United Rugby Championship (URC). It would be unkind to say former Springbok World Cup winning coach White hasn't enjoyed a relatively successful spell at the Bulls since arriving at the union in 2020. He guided them to the Super Rugby Unlocked title during Covid, as well as the Rainbow Cup SA title, which was a prelude to the URC, although they lost the overall playoff to Benetton Treviso, while they also picked up Currie Cup trophies in 2020 and 2021. But arguably his biggest achievement was the remarkable consistency he fostered for the Bulls in the URC, with them making three finals and one quarterfinals appearance in their four seasons in the competition. However, the Bulls were unable to lift the title, finishing runner-up each time, with their best chance coming when they hosted the final in 2024, but unfortunately slipped up against Glasgow Warriors. Ivan van Rooyen of the Lions. Picture: Gallo Images Final straw Funnily enough it was a loss in the final that they were least likely to win, against Irish giants Leinster this past season, that proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back, with him suffering a fallout with senior coaches and players at the union, possibly due to some of his recent utterances. Compare that with the Lions, who have in four seasons in the URC finished outside of the playoff places each time, ending 12th, ninth twice and 11th over their most recent campaign. It must be said that the Lions have been unable to lure major talent to the union over this time, while many of their best young stars which have risen through the ranks, have left to greener pastures, making things incredibly difficult for coach Ivan van Rooyen. But each team that they have had available in every URC season so far, has had the potential to at least make the top eight, but have been unable to. After missing out again this past season it seems there may now be a coaching shake up, but to what extent is still unknown, with rumours circulating that it may just be a reshuffle among the current group.
The 42
11-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
'We got here, we're playing for our brothers, and we're playing for our friend that we have lost'
THE BULLS' URC semi-final victory over Leinster at Loftus Versfeld last season is a game best remembered for Willie le Roux's expert exploitation of Leinster's backfield, his umpteen crossfield kicks exposing one of the only chinks in the visitors' blitz defence. Springbok World Cup winner Le Roux, who turns 36 in August, is well attuned to Jacques Nienaber's ways, of course. But for all that he may rightly be described as a veteran, Saturday's potentially seismic encounter at Croke Park will be his first URC final, whereas it will make for a third bite of the cherry for many of his Bulls teammates. Consequently, when he's asked by a South African journalist about the Bulls' mental capacity to finally get over the line in their toughest-looking championship decider to date, Le Roux can afford a shrug of the shoulders — his are unburdened by recent history. 'I think it's about the moment now', says the fullback, 'and going out there with a smile on your face, enjoying it, and playing for one and other, even though all the odds are against you and everyone has written us off. 'We have been enjoying ourselves this season, playing for one and other. It has got us to the final. It's about doing the same thing that we have been doing the whole year. 'I don't think there is any need to put added pressure onto us. We got here, we are playing for our brothers, and we are playing for our friend that we have lost. Former Bull Cornal Hendricks, who died of a suspected heart attack last month, aged 37, was a dear friend of Le Roux's in particular. The duo began their professional careers together with the Boland Cavaliers, subsequently playing alongside each other Cheetahs, as Springboks, and, last season, as Bulls. Just over three weeks have passed since the charismatic former winger passed away, leaving little time for Le Roux or his teammates to fully process the loss amid their URC knockout run. There will be further scope to do just that when the curtain falls on the season at Croke Park on Saturday, a day on which the Pretorians hope to honour their former player in the most joyous way possible. Advertisement But the memory of Hendricks, who earned 12 caps for South Africa between 2014 and 2015, has played a significant role in pushing the Bulls even this far. 'That wasn't something that you woke up one morning and expected to happen,' Le Roux says of his friend's untimely passing. 'I think that what the Bulls have done when we retired his jersey this season — and [Canan] Moodie has been playing with the number 24 jersey — and the photos and stuff at the back of our numbers, it is just a reminder; reminding us that every time, before we put on the jersey, what an influence he had at the club, his positive attitude… 'He would light up a room when he walked in,' Le Roux adds. The Bulls, then, will be emotionally charged when they take to the field at GAA Headquarters, hellbent on doing right by a club icon and amending the wrongs of 2022 and 2024. And while it will be Le Roux's first URC final, his experience of even greater showpieces with the Springboks will prove an invaluable tool as Jake White and co. navigate the week in Dublin. For a youngster like the aforementioned Canan Moodie, for example, who didn't feature in the Boks' matchday 23 for the last World Cup final, Saturday's meeting with Leinster will be the most significant of his career to date. But Le Roux's advice for the Bulls' less experienced charges will be simple: 'It's the same as playing the first game of the season'. 'It's not to put this [final] on a pedestal and make this that much bigger', Le Roux adds, 'and you go into your shell where you don't want to try stuff and you don't want to run from your own half. That is not what got us here in the first place. 'You shouldn't wait. If you're a winger, you don't wait outside on the wing to get the ball: you come in and you work off your wing and you get your hands on the ball as much as you can. We got here through taking chances. We see an opportunity, we take it. That is what you must do in those big games as well: whether you make a mistake or not, it's about putting yourself out there, putting yourself in battle. You might lose a few battles but you might also win. 'That's just the little things that I tell the guys. You might lose a few battles but it's about getting back up and putting yourself into as many as you can.' When those battle lines are finally drawn at 5pm on Saturday, hosts Leinster will be heavily favoured to end their own trophy drought and lift their first title of the URC era. Le Roux is distinctly unperturbed by the Bulls' underdog status but he is equally uninspired by the Bulls' healthy record over Leinster, against whom the South Africans have played six and won four — including two semi-finals and a semi-recent, regular-season squeaker. Recent records can be torn up, says the fullback. Each side, equally desperate for silverware, will have 80 minutes to set straight the only record that actually matters. 'It's a final, it's one game away now,' Le Roux says. 'You could have had the worst season of your life or [been] the the best attacking team of this season, but that doesn't matter. This is the game. This is the only one you need to win to lift the trophy. 'Finals are fine margins whether it's at home or away. These games come down to maybe one moment, one mistake you might make, one piece of brilliance someone else does. 'They all say it's 'mission impossible', but we'll have to wait and see on Saturday. 'It's all about playing for each other, playing for your brother next to you, and and playing for Cornall.'
The Citizen
07-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Little motivation needed to fire Sharks up for Bulls URC semi
It is all set to be a classic blockbuster semifinal derby between two huge local rivals when the Sharks take on the Bulls in their URC semifinal at Loftus. The Sharks have needed very little motivation this week to get themselves fired up for their massive United Rugby Championship (URC) semifinal encounter against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening (kick-off 6:30pm). It is the Durban sides first time in a URC semifinal, and they had to qualify the hard way, by winning a first ever URC playoff penalty shootout against Munster last weekend. That match went to 100 minutes, after the sides were locked level at 24-all at the end of fulltime, followed by a scoreless 20 minutes of extra time, meaning a kick-off was needed to break the deadlock. Despite the toll that would have taken on the players, a derby semifinal against arguably their biggest local rivals in front of a crowd of 50000 people on the Highveld was the perfect tonic to lift them back up. 'With big games like this, it's often your easiest week as a coach. The players are all excited about the opportunity,' explained Sharks coach John Plumtree at the team announcement on Friday. 'We had to lighten the load a lot in training based on what happened last weekend, but they're feeling good.' Done the double A boost to the visitors heading into the clash is that they have already done the double over the Bulls in the pool phase this season, winning 20-17 in Durban in December, before stunning the hosts in Pretoria 29-19 earlier this year. They will thus be high on confidence, but will also be well aware that they have to win the little battles on the day, including the psychological one. A mouthwatering battle is also expected to be waged in the scrums, as a Springbok World Cup winning front row of Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch, front up against arguably the URC's best scrum this season, of Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw. 'It's not just about who gets front-foot ball but also the psychological battle, and that's what it's all about, these big contests. The Bulls are not just a scrummaging team, they're a good set-piece team, particularly at Loftus,' Plumtree said. 'These are big derby games, aren't they? The Sharks-Bulls game at Loftus, everyone in Durban will be watching this game of rugby because it's based on the contests there have been over the years, and there have been some great contests.' The winner of the Highveld semifinal will either be traveling to Dublin to face Irish powerhouse Leinster, or hosting Scottish defending champs Glasgow Warriors in the Grand Final next weekend.
The South African
02-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Bulls bolster pack with Bok lock in major recruitment drive
The Vodacom Bulls are strengthening their squad ahead of the 2025-26 season, with World Cup-winning lock Marvin Orie set to return to Pretoria. The Vodacom Bulls are set to welcome back Springbok World Cup winner Marvin Orie as part of an ambitious recruitment overhaul ahead of the 2025 Currie Cup season. According to Rapport , Orie has agreed terms to leave French club Perpignan and rejoin the Pretoria-based side. The 32-year-old lock last featured for the Springboks during the 2023 Rugby World Cup and is a seasoned campaigner with experience in both the northern and southern hemispheres. He previously played for the Bulls from 2014 to 2016 before moving on to the Lions, Stormers, and a stint in Wales with the Ospreys. Orie's return is viewed as a major coup for the Bulls, who are targeting domestic dominance and greater squad depth heading into the next URC cycle and Currie Cup campaign. The Bulls' recruitment doesn't stop with Orie. Cheetahs loose forward Jeandré Rudolph is also expected to make his way back to Loftus, having decided to part ways with the Free State side after their SA Cup run. Rudolph previously played for the Bulls and Sharks and brings versatility to the back row. In another forward boost, young lock Dylan de Leeuw is reportedly set to join the Bulls on a full-time basis. The 23-year-old, a former Junior Springbok who has represented Western Province and Italian club Zebre, has been training with the team for the past two months while recovering from injury. These moves are part of a larger recruitment wave aimed at solidifying the Bulls' status as a top-tier force in both domestic and international competition. The Pretoria outfit is also expected to unveil a blockbuster list of arrivals in July, including World Cup-winning flyhalf Handré Pollard, powerful centre Jan Serfontein, imposing lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, and dynamic scrumhalf Paul de Wet. With coach Jake White eyeing silverware on all fronts, the Bulls' new signings underline their intent to build a squad capable of sustained success. The return of experienced Springboks and the injection of young talent could prove crucial in the seasons ahead. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Irish Examiner
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Munster bow out of URC race in cruel fashion as Sharks edge penalty shoot-out
Veteran Munster back Rory Scannell missed an angled penalty kick from the right-hand side of the field in a dramatic shootout that proved the smallest margin between victory and defeat. It was the first penalty shootout in United Rugby Championship (URC) history, and it added to a dramatic contest that started slowly but boiled up to a wonderful crescendo. The Sharks will now travel to Pretoria to face the Bulls at Loftus in the URC semi-final next week. Leinster will host defending champions Glasgow in Dublin. After 100 minutes of energy and commitment, it came down to a penalty shootout after finishing 24-24. And Munster fell just short. Shootout kicks were taken from the 22-metre line, centre, right and left and then repeated from the 10-metre line. Sharks replacement back Bradley Davids, who only took the field in the 98th minute, kicked the Sharks' sixth straight penalty from the left-hand side from 40 metres out. It broke Munster hearts, as not only does it mark the end of their season, Davids' kick meant the end of the careers of Peter O'Mahony, Stephen Archer, David Kilcoyne, and the Munster career of Murray. Earlier, departing legend Murray's nerveless, 45-metre penalty with 90 seconds of normal time remaining sent this error-strewn, but at times entertaining URC quarter-final, into extra time. Hollywoodbets Sharks players celebrate beating Munster to qualify for the semi-finals. Pic: Shaun Roy/Sportsfile Much of the first half had been torturous to watch because of the error count. The second half was hard to watch because it was so tense. Both teams improved as the contest matured. Murray's kick levelled the score at 24-24 in a game that started with an odd lack of intensity but gradually built into a full-blooded slug fest. The Sharks were particularly passive in the opening quarter, yet by the time the match went into extra-time, Munster were having to tackle missiles in black jerseys. In extra-time, with each side having scored three tries, the possibility of a penalty shoot-out became increasingly probable. The scores remained locked at 24-24 after the first period of extra time with the home team carrying all the momentum. Only the belligerent Munster defence kept the 2023 champions in the contest. The men in red stayed in the game thanks to their defence, as their scrum was dismantled by a Sharks team whose replacement front rowers Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Hanro Jacobs picked up where their illustrious Bok starters – Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch had left off. It was one tough night for the Munster pack, and they never stopped scrapping. Munster gather in a huddle with coach Mike Prendergast. Pic: Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart/Inpho Munster had some defending to do in the first half of normal time, and the reality was that they never looked stressed as they kept the home team comfortably subdued. The Sharks might have a player roster littered with Springbok World Cup winners, but often when they are clad in black, their performances have been funereal. It was that way for much of the first half before things improved. Munster scored the only points of the half with a well-constructed 10th minute try for wing Calvin Nash that had its genesis from a scrum just inside the Munster half. Scrumhalf Craig Casey, who was excellent throughout, stabbed a grubber through from the set piece inside half that set up good field position. From the lineout and several phases of play later, Jack Crowley poked a wonderful kick through for Nash to run on to and he did the rest. From then, one unsuccessful Crowley penalty attempt aside, the game meandered aimlessly until the half hour mark. It was littered with handling errors and poor options – mostly from the home team – which was in keeping with their recent form. But after the half hour mark the Sharks finally began to string some phases together, mildly stressing the Munster defence. Wings Ethan Hooker and Makazole Mapimpi enjoyed some moments, with half line-breaks, if such a stat is collected, but largely Munster coped comfortably. The half ended with the Sharks gaining momentum – an ominous portent because they carried it into the opening exchanges of the second period. Hooker scored for the Sharks barely six minutes into the second stanza, after a multiple-phase build-up that climaxed with a slick offload by flank Vincent Tshituka. The home side then hit the front with a Jaden Hendrikse penalty in the 54th minute. It sparked Munster to life after the flat period and they stunned the Sharks with two tries in the space of four minutes to reassert themselves on the game. Replacement prop Josh Wycherley smashed over from close range after a good build-up and clever pass by Casey, which Crowley converted. Minutes later, Mike Haley's speculative kick through led to a try for wing Diarmuid Kilgallen as Mapimpi slipped when coming across to cover the threat. It was desperately unlucky for the Bok stalwart, but a reward for smart tactical play and Kilgallen's alertness and opportunism, as he kicked ahead and grounded the ball smartly. The Sharks, though were not done. Fullback Aphelele Fassi ran a hard, angled line onto a fine pass from Jaden Hendrikse from a five-metre scrum with Munster under severe pressure in the set piece. The Sharks then powered ahead on the scoreboard when replacement hooker Fez Mbatha finished from a Sharks lineout and midfield surge by giant centre Andre Esterhuizen to nudge the Sharks ahead before Murray stepped up to cue drama. Scorers: Sharks: Tries: Ethan Hooker, Aphelele Fassi, Fez Mbatha. Conversions: Jaden Hendrikse (3). Penalties: Jaden Hendrikse. Munster: Tries: Calvin Nash, Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Kilgallen. Conversions: Jack Crowley (3). Penalties: Conor Murray. Penalty shootout: 22m-(Middle) Jaden Hendrikse, (Right) Jordan Hendrikse, (Left) Bradley Davids. 22m-(Middle) Jack Crowley, (Right) Rory Scannell (x), (Left) Conor Murray. 40m-Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Bradley Davids. 40m-Jack Crowley, Rory Scannell. Sharks: Aphelele Fassi; Ethan Hooker, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch; Eben Etzebeth (capt), Jason Jenkins; James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi. Replacements: Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Emile van Heerden, Phepsi Buthelezi, Bradley Davids, Francois Venter, Yaw Penxe. Munster: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Mike Haley. Referee: Mike Adamson
