This is the second article in the series of Bulls Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.

We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.

In this Article we look at the contenders for HOOKERS in the Vodacom Bulls 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.

The Contenders:

Name: Mbongeni Theo “Bongi” Mbonambi:

Position Hooker Height 1.76 Weight 99 Date of Birth 7 January 1991 Place of Birth Bethlehem Provincial Debut 2012 vs Golden Lions Provincial Caps 9 Provincial Points 0 Super Rugby Debut 2012 vs Crusaders Super Rugby Caps 2 Super Rugby Points 0 Test Debut Test Caps 0 Test Points 0

Bongi attended St Alban’s College in Pretoria.

In 2012 as a 21-year old, he gained valuable experience, not only getting game time off the bench in two outings in Super Rugby, but also learning from senior players in the squad. The former SA Under-20 rep has a proven skill set, a low centre of gravity, which makes him good ball carrier and very good fitness levels.

His playing career is as follows:

• 2007 – Griffons U16 Grant Khomo Week
• 2008 – Blue Bulls U18 Coca Cola Craven Week
• 2009 – Blue Bulls U18 Coca Cola Craven Week, SASchools, SARU U18 Elite Squad
• 2010 – Blue Bulls Under 19 Competition
• 2011 – TUT Vikings in Varsity Cup, Blue Bulls Under 21 Competition, South Africa IRB Junior World Championship squad member
• 2012 – Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup, Blue Bulls Under 21 Competition, Super Rugby, Currie Cup Premier Division
• 2013 – Tuks Varsity Cup, Vodacom Cup, Bulls Super Rugby squad member, Blue Bulls Currie Cup Premier Division

With the departure of Chiliboy Ralepelle and Willie Wepener, the 23-year old Bongi might just become the starting hooker for the Bulls in 2014 but Bandise Maku and Callie Visagie has more experience in Super Rugby. His rlatively smaller stature might count against him becoming the premier hooker at the Bulls.

I call Bongi “Little Mike Tyson”, due to his appearance.

Name: Bandise Grey “Bandise” Maku:

Position Hooker Height 1.86m Weight 106 kg Date of Birth 24 July 1986 Place of Birth King William’s Town Provincial Debut 2006 for Vodacom Blue Bulls Provincial Caps 90 Provincial Points 20 Super Rugby Debut 2008 for Vodacom Bulls against the Chiefs, Rotorua Super Rugby Caps 48 Super Rugby Points 40 Test Debut 2010 vs Italy Test Caps 1 Test & 3 Tour matches Test Points 0

Bandise is a product of Dale College in King William’s Town.

He represented his local team Border Bulldogs at the 2004 Craven Week before moving to the Blue Bulls, for whom he played rugby at youth levels.

He was first named in a Blue Bulls squad during the 2006 Vodacom Cup. He made his Currie Cup debut the following season, coming on as a 72nd minute substitute against Boland Cavaliers. A year later, he was also included in Bulls squad for the 2008 Super 14 season, making his debut in Rotorua against the Chiefs.

He joined the Lions for the 2011 Super Rugby season, where he started in 14 games. He also played Currie Cup rugby for the Golden Lions, where he was also a member of the starting line-up which defeated the Sharks 42–16 to win the 2011 Currie Cup Premier Division. He was injured for the entire 2012 Super Rugby season, but did play some Currie Cup rugby at the end of the 2012 season.

In 2013 he joined the Southern Kings for the 2013 Super Rugby season.

After the 2013 Super Rugby season, he rejoined former team the Blue Bulls, signing a contract at the team until October 2016.

On the international front his first tour of duty for his country was with the Springboks to France, Italy, Ireland & England in late 2009. He earned his first cap for his country playing against Italy. In 2010, Maku was again called up for duty with the Springboks in a November tour of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England. His call came two matches into the tour on 18 November 2010, after a controversial incident in which two other Springbok players tested positive for a banned substance.

Maku makes a welcome return to the Bulkraal where he played all his junior rugby, won a Super Rugby title and became a Springbok. A durable and skilled hooker, Maku could help the Bulls to great things.

His playing career is as follows:

• 2004 – Border U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week
• 2005 – South Africa Under 19, Blue Bulls Under 21 Competition
• 2006 – Blue Bulls in Vodacom Cup, Blue Bulls ABSA Under 21 Competition, South Africa IRB Junior World Championship
• 2007 – Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup, SA Emerging Players – IRB Nations Cup, Blue Bulls ABSA Under 21 Competition, Blue Bulls Currie Cup Premier Division
• 2008 – Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup, Blue Bulls Currie Cup Friendlies, Bulls Super Rugby, lue Bulls Currie Cup Premier Division
• 2009 – Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup, Blue Bulls Currie Cup Friendlies, Bulls Super Rugby, South Africa – Emerging Springboks vs British & Irish Lions, Blue Bulls Currie Cup Premier Division, Springboks
• 2010 – Blue Bulls Currie Cup Friendlies, Bulls Super Rugby, Springboks (End Of Year), Blue Bulls Currie Cup Premier Division
• 2011 – MTN Lions Super Rugby, MTN Golden Lions Currie Cup Premier Division
• 2012 – MTN Golden Lions Currie Cup Premier Division
• 2013 – Southern Kings Super Rugby, EP Kings Currie Cup First Division, EP Kings Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation, Blue Bulls Currie Cup Premier Division

Bandise is by far the most experienced Bulls hooker going into Super Rugby of 2014 but he will have to up his play dramatically in 2014 to get and keep a starting berth for Super Rugby because he looked jaded and a shadow of a player in the Blue Bulls Currie Cup campaign in 2013.

Name: Callie-Theron “Callie” Visagie:

Position Hooker Height 1.88m Weight 108 kg Date of Birth 9 July 1988 Place of Birth Paarl Provincial Debut 2012 for MTN Golden Lions Provincial Caps 11 Provincial Points 0 Super Rugby Debut 2012 for MTN Lions Super Rugby Caps 23 Super Rugby Points 5 Test Debut Test Caps 0 Test Points 0

Callie is a product of Paarl Boys’ High School and his playing career is as follows:

• 2004 – WP U16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week
• 2007 – WP ABSA Under 19 Competition
• 2008 – WP ABSA Under 21 Competition
• 2009 – Maties in Varsity Cup, WP Vodacom Cup, WP ABSA Under 21 Competition
• 2010 – Maties in Varsity Cup, WP Vdacom Cup, WP ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
• 2011 – Maties in Varsity Cup (Captain)
• 2012 – MTN Lions Super Rugby, MTN Golden Lions Currie Cup Premier Division
• 2013 – Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup, MTN Golden Lions Vodacom Cup, Bulls Super Rugby, MTN Golden Lions Currie Cup Premier Division, Blue Bulls Currie Cup Premier Division

Visagie was one of the first players to be approached by the Vodacom Bulls when the MTN Lions lost their Super status, a testament to his abilities in a position where depth is a problem. An intelligent player with strong first phase play and great with ball in hand, Visagie needs to push the incumbents all the way. A mature and dedicated player, Visagie is an ideal squad member.

Callie will have to improve quite a lot in 2014 to hold down either a starting role or bench role in the Bulls Super Rugby campaign.

Starters:

The Bulls have a real problem at hooker, with Bandise Maku not in form in the latter stages of 2013, with Bongi Mbonambi relatively inexperienced and Callie Visagie yet to show he has the full aptitude for Bulls Super Rugby. My guess is that Bandise Maku will be the preferred starter as the competition starts off and with Bongi Mbonambi on the bench. One of the 3 hookers need to step up to the plate and show his rivals that he is the one to unseat from a starting berth.

The next Article in the range will deal with the Bulls locks.