One of the guys who sit with us in the Press Box at Loftus, calls Deon Stegmann, “STEGMONSTER”, well Koos excuse me for using the same expression.

The Blue Bulls have received another blow with the news that flank Deon Stegmann will miss the 2013 Absa Currie Cup season.

Medical tests on Wednesday revealed shoulder trouble for Stegmann and he will be operated on next week.

Bulls team doctor Org Strauss said the 27-year-old won’t play rugby this year.

It was widely believed that Deon Stegmann would have been the ideal candidate to take up the Blue Bulls captaincy role in the Currie Cup, but now the net will have to be cast wider and to a list of far more inexperienced campaigners.

It is also likely that the youger brother of Elton Janthies, Tony Jantjies, will be entrusted to run at flyhalf for the Blue Bulls in their first Currie Cup encounter against DHL Western Province at Newlands next Saturday. Tone Jantjies seem to be preferred over Tiaan Snyman who did duty in the Vodacom Cup and also over Willie du Plessis who did duty at flyhalf for Tuks in the Varsity Cup. Handré Pollard is still recovering from injury and will only be available after the first week of the Currie Cup.