The impact of record-breaking retired Springbok Victor Matfield as a coach is already being felt by the Bulls.
rugby365
Matfield – who last year served as a line-out consultant in an advisory capacity at Loftus Versfeld – was appointed the forwards and attack coach for the franchise this season.
The 35-year-old, who led the Bulls to all three of their Super Rugby titles, is rated as “phenomenal” by head coach Frans Ludeke.
“It is great to have him back in the inner circle of the team, where the things are happening,” Ludeke told this website in an interview ahead of the Bulls’ first pre-season match – the Gauteng Challenge encounter with the Lions at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday.
“It may be in a different capacity, but he is making a very big impact – the players are enjoying having him here.
“His knowledge is phenomenal and he comes across very strongly as a coach.
“He is a great teacher and his sessions are very interesting – there are lots of game-related things.”
Ludeke said one of the advantages of Matfield the coach is that he played for such a long time and worked under many coaches.
“He has a great feel for how to put a [training] session together,” Ludeke said, adding: “There is no doubt he is making a huge impact.”
Matfield, who retired from playing after the 2011 World Cup, featured in 110 Tests for South Africa – bettered only by John Smit’s 111 internationals.
* Meanwhile the Bulls head coach, Ludeke, said a number of frontline players will not feature in the Orlando showdown.
Players like Francois Venter, Zane Kirchner, Werner Kruger and Callie Visagie all suffering from minor strains.
Venter (groin), Kirchner (back), Kruger (back) and Visagie (hamstring) will miss the clash – as will Tony Jantjies (compassionate leave after the death of his father), Wilhelm Steenkamp (AC joint, five weeks), Marcel van der Merwe (knee rehab, four months), Dean Greyling (foot, three weeks) and Basil Short (AC joint, two weeks).
Grant Hattingh (ankle), Akona Ndungane (groin), Wiaan Liebenberg (hamstring), Dewald Potgieter (back) and Louis Fouchè (ankle) has been declared fit – although the two loose forwards, Liebenberg and Potgieter, will only train on Tuesday.
Ludeke said he will field two different line-ups in the pre-season matches against the Lions (this week) and the Cheetahs (in Polokwane next week).
Veteran midfielder Wynand Olivier will also not be considered for selection this week, although he returned from his stint in Japan without injury.
If someone left a Happy Birthday wish to me thanks, i simply do not have time tonight to read the blog. I must get some sleep , i have a long day ahead tomorrow. 2x trips to Sabi Sand Private Nature Reserve.
If no one did , please dont see it as sarcasm
@ superBul:
Lekker slaap ou grote, veel geluk weereens met jou verjaarsdag
Happy Birthday superBul!
Eish! Maybe a birthday list will be in order.
Belated
Bud, and I will gladly do you Sabi Sabi trips for you 
Heppy, Heppy ou Bees… sorry but I am very, very bad with remembering birthdays!
super @ 1
was daai ñ skimp?
..
skuus man,
ek vang dit nie!!
#6
hehehehe, happy birthday super
ek hoop iemand het darem al vir jou ñ paar lang pienk tights gekoop om by jou pienk jersey te pas!!
Hey Ash you busy stirring early in the day
anyway talking about pink jerseys have we shown our new jerseys for this season yet, surely with Super rugby this close they should have been out already?
bullscot @ 8
or maybe it can!! maybe the extra stud allowed on the boot of the bulls players will now also be pink? or how about the long (pink) tights allowed in (woman) rugby? surely the bulls qualify for that? 
nothing can be worse than the one you had last season, can it?
9 @ Ashley:
why do they need to play in long tights anyway think it will look quite weird to see folk playing rugby in tights, unless they have rugby short over the top of them 
Methinks you protest too much, maybe its a double bluff from you to hide your delight for tights
Matfield can be a great attacking coach as he always an undercover center
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