Highly rated Vodacom Blue Bulls coach, Nico Serfontein, has been given permission to join the Guma group, a shareholding company of the Golden Lions Rugby Union, with immediate effect.

Serfontein, who still had a contract with the Blue Bulls Company till October 2011, has been allowed to leave after he requested a release in discussions with the BBM.

According to Barend van Graan, CEO of the BBM, the decision to release Serfontein was taken with the exceptional track record of the coach in mind.

“Nico has been with the company for nine years and is held in very high regard. He always gave us exceptional professional service and we decided not to stand in his way to take up this new offer.”

Van Graan admitted that Serfontein, who was part of the structures that won 18 national titles in nine years, will be a huge loss.

“We are very sad to see him go, but understand his reasons for taking up the new position. We know he will be successful in that too and wish him well in his new endeavour. We would also like to use this opportunity to thank him for the great work done over the last decade,” Van Graan said.

A process to identify a replacement for Serfontein will be started immediately.

Serfontein will head up Guma’s Rugby Academy, in conjunction with the GLRU.

“I will always be thankful for the nine years I had at the Blue Bulls,” Serfontein said.

“We started from scratch in 2001 and not only won 18 titles in the last nine years, but the Bulls have established themselves as one of the best teams in the world. That has created a bit of a bottle neck situation with regards to coaches though and I see this opportunity as a new challenge that will allow me to grow. I have achieved everything I could at the Bulls. I leave with no regrets and a huge amount of gratitude,” the current Vodacom Cup championship coach said.