The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd confirmed the rest of the Vodacom Blue Bulls coaching staff, following the appointment of Nollis Marais as head coach of the Vodacom Blue Bulls for the 2015 ABSA Currie Cup season.
Marais will also take charge of the forwards and he will be assisted by David Manuel as back-line coach.
Manuel, who was backline coach to the UP-Tuks Varsity Cup as well as the Vodacom Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup and Under 21 teams respectively since 2012, was named backline coach to the Varsity Cup Dream Team earlier this year. He was Head Coach of the Blue Bulls / Tuks Rugby Academy since 2007 till 2012.
The 35-year old matriculated at Waterkloof High School and as a player, represented the Blue Bulls and SA Schools, as well as representing the Vodacom Blue Bulls up to Vodacom Cup level. He also played SA Under 19 and Under 21 and represented Griquas and Free State at senior provincial level as well.
Also confirmed are the appointment of coaches to the Vodacom Blue Bulls Under 21 and Under 19 teams, with Hendré Marnitz and Hayden Groepes being appointed in those roles respectively.
Marnitz was head coach to the Vodacom Blue Bulls Under 19 side since November 2013 as well as defense coach of the Vodacom Cup side during 2013. Previous head coach positions include the Buccaneers club side in Ireland, the Indian National Men’s side and the Helderberg and Dagbreek Residence teams in Stellenbosch. He was also part of the Western Province Institute coaching and recruitment staff previously.
Groepes, who represented Western Province at school boy and age group level, ended his playing career with UP-Tuks. Groepes started his coaching career as a Technical Analyst for the Vodacom Blue Bulls Under 19’s. Groepes has also been a part of the UP-Tuks Varsity Young Guns as well as Vodacom Blue Bulls Under 19’s Coaching Management Teams in 2013 to 2015.
Marnitz and Groepes will also coach the backs and will have Denzil Frans (Under 21) and Wessel Roux (Under 19) as forwards coaches. Both Roux and Frans are well-established specialist coaches in the Blue Bulls structures.
Pine Pienaar has been confirmed as defensive coach to all 3 sides, the same role he had with the Vodacom Bulls in 2015 until at least October 2016 – this includes the Vodacom Bulls Super Rugby and Vodacom Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup sides respectively for 2016 as well.
According to the BBC’s High Performance Manager, Xander Janse van Rensburg, an announcement on the role of Vodacom Bulls backline coach Pieter Rossouw, will be made soon.
Janse van Rensburg also confirmed that:
- Jacques (Vleis) Engelbrecht and Basil Short will be loaned to the EP Kings for the ABSA Currie Cup competition
- The Vodacom Blue Bulls will play warm-up matches against the EP Kings on Friday 17 July in Port Elizabeth and Canon (in Japan) on Friday 31 July 2015.
- The Vodacom Blue Bulls Under 21’s will play against the Zimbabwe national side on 4 July.
Janse van Rensburg announced the extension of contract to a number of senior players as well.
Springboks Deon Stegmann (end of Vodacom Super Rugby 2016) and Piet van Zyl (end of October 2017) and that of Travis Ismaiel (end of October 2017).
“We will also have JJ Engelbrecht and Grant Hatting back for next year’s Vodacom Super Rugby competition, but they are off to Japan in the next couple of weeks and will miss the ABSA Currie Cup,” Janse van Rensburg said.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls coaching structures are:
Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA Currie Cup):
- Head Coach: Nollis Marais (also forwards)
- Backline Coach: David Manuel
- Defense Coach: Pine Pienaar
Vodacom Blue Bulls (Under 21 ABSA Provincial Championship):
- Head Coach: Hendré Marnitz (also backline)
- Forwards Coach: Denzil Frans
- Defense Coach: Pine Pienaar
Vodacom Blue Bulls (Under 19 ABSA Provincial Championship):
- Head Coach: Hayden Groepes (also backline)
- Forwards Coach: Wessel Roux
- Defense Coach: Pine Pienaar
Die Blou Bulle Maatskappy (Edms) Bpk het die res van die Vodacom Blou Bulle afrigtingspan ná die aanstelling van Nollis Marais as die hoof-afrigter vir die ABSA Curriebekerkompetisie van 2015 bevestig.
Marais, wat ook die voorspelers sal brei, sal bygestaan word deur David Manuel as agterlyn-afrigter.
Manual was die agterlyn-afrigter van UP Tuks in die Varsitybeker, die Vodacom Blou Bulle se Vodacombeker en Onder 21-spanne sedert 2012 en was vroeër vanjaar aangewys as die agterlyn-afrigter van die Varsitybeker se Dream Team. Hy was voorheen hoof-afrigter van die Blou Bulle / Tuks Rugbyakademie.
Die 35-jarige breier het aan Waterkloof Hoërskool afstudeer en die Blou Bulle Skole en SA Skole in daardie tyd verteenwoordig. Hy het ook vir die Vodacom Blou Bulle tot op Vodacombeker-vlak gespeel en vir die SA Onder 19 en Onder 21 spanne sowel as vir Griekwas en Vrystaat op senior vlak uitgedraf.
Die Vodacom Blou Bulle Onder 21 en Onder 19 spanne se afrigters is ook aangewys, met Hendré Marnitz en Hayden Groepes wat onderskeidelik die leisels neem.
Marnitz was voorheen in beheer van die Vodacom Blou Bulle Onder 19 span (sedert 2013), sowel as verdedigingsafrigter van die Vodacombekerspan.
Hy het voorheen ook hoof-afrigtingsposte by die Buccaneers klub in Ierland en Indië se nasionale span gehad en die koshuisspanne van Dagbreek en Helderberg by Maties afgerig. Hy was voorheen deel van die Westelike Provinsie Rugby Instituut se afrigtings- en werwingsgroep.
Groepes, wat vir die Westelike Provinsie se skole en junior spanne gespeel het, se laaste verteenwoordigende wedstryd was vir UP-Tuks. Hy het sy afrigtingskoene as tegniese adviseur by die Vodacom Blou Bulle se Onder 19’s begin en was in die laaste paar seisoen deel van UP-Tuks se Varsitybeker Young Guns bestuurspan en die Blou Bulle Onder 19 groep se afrigtingskorps vanaf 2013.
Marnitz en Groepes sal ook hulle spanne se agterlyne brei, met Denzil Frans (Onder 21) en Wessel Roux (Onder 19) wat die voorspelers sal afrig.
Beide is welbekende en gevestigde afrigters in die BBM se afrigtingstrukture.
Pine Pienaar sal al 3 genoemde spanne se verdedigings-afrigter wees, dieselfde taak wat hy by die Vodacom Bulls in 2015 en tot minstens Oktober 2016 sal vervul.Hy sal volgende jaar ook die taak by bogenoemde 3 spanne verrig.
Volgens die BBM se Hoë Prestasiebestuurder, Xander Janse van Rensburg, sal ’n aankondiging oor die rol van die Vodacom Bulls agterlyn-breier, Pieter Rossouw, binnekort bekend gemaak word.
Janse van Rensburg het verder bevestig dat:
- Jacques (Vleis) Engelbrecht en Basil Short aan die OP Kings vir die duur van die ABSA Curriebekerreeks geleen word
- Die Vodacom Blou Bulle sal opwarmingswedstryde teen die OP Kings (17 Julie in Port Elizabeth) en 31 Julie (teen Canon in Japan) speel.
- Die Vodacom Blou Bulle Onder 21’s sal op 4 Julie teen Zimbabwe se nasionale span speel.
Janse van Rensburg het verdere kontrakverlengings van twee Springbokke en ‘n Junior Springbok aangekondig.
Springbokke Deon Stegmann (einde van Vodacom Super Rugby 2016) en Piet van Zyl (einde van Oktober 2017) en Junior Springbok Travis Ismaiel (einde van Oktober 2017) het hul kontrakte verleng.
“Ons sal ook vir JJ Engelbrecht en Grant Hattingh terug hê vir volgende seisoen se Vodacom Super Rugby, maar hulle gaan nou in Japan speel en sal die Absa Curriebeker misloop,” het Janse van Rensburg gesê.
Die Vodacom Blou Bulle afrigtingstrukture is as volg:
Vodacom Blou Bulle (ABSA Curriebeker):
- Hoofafrigter: Nollis Marais (ook voorspelers)
- Agterlyn: David Manuel
- Verdediging: Pine Pienaar
Vodacom Blou Bulle (Onder 21 ABSA Provinsiale toernooi):
- Hoofafrigter: Hendré Marnitz (ook agterlyn)
- Voorspelers: Denzil Frans
- Verdediging: Pine Pienaar
Vodacom Blou Bulle (Onder 19 ABSA Provinsiale toernooi):
- Hoofafrigter: Hayden Groepes (ook agterlyn)
- Voorspelers: Wessel Roux
- Verdediging: Pine Pienaar
Barend and Xander needs to f*** off
http://www.supersport.com/rugby/blogs/brenden-nel/Ludicrous_to_blame_it_all_on_Frans
Ludicrous to blame it all on Frans
by Brenden Nel 19/06/2015
The cloud of despair that hangs over the Loftus Versfeld stadium will not disappear overnight, but unless there is a drastic culture change the more things are likely to change, the more they are likely to stay the same
While the outpouring of joy in some comment pages over Frans Ludeke stepping down from his position as Vodacom Super Rugby and Absa Currie Cup coach was perhaps a bit over the top, the chances of radical change to the Bulls franchise remains slim and will continue to paper over the cracks until some drastic action is taken.
Ludeke remains a good coach – he did not become a bad coach overnight. Wins in the competition in 2009 and 2010 in Super Rugby will forever be on his resume and while other seasons have not always gone to plan, to give him all the fault for the Bulls’ woes of late would be both unfair and wrong.
Just as Eddie Jones’s disastrous run with the Reds in 2007, sometimes there are factors beyond a coach’s control that influence matters, and need to be sorted out.
For that to happen, there has to be a total realignment of culture at the Pretoria union, one where the family tag that the Bulls like to bandy about so freely will once again mean something.
For a franchise which prides itself on inclusivity, the current climate at Loftus Versfeld sees a group of players at odds with themselves, and unsure of who they can trust and if their careers will develop sufficiently if they stay at the Bulls. But this doesn’t mean Ludeke was solely at fault, nor that he is blameless in the entire season.
As a coach he was forthright and honest, but too many times was perhaps too loyal to the wrong people, and trusted in those who would lead his team down the wrong path.
It is especially off the field where things went wrong, with the masses of talent the Bulls possess often keeping them just above water and ensuring that a number of cracks simply were papered over.
Yet, as time went on, it became more and more difficult to control these problems, with a clique of senior players becoming ever more powerful and younger players feeling more and more frustrated.
This led to a number of unhappy players speaking out about the way they have been treated and not trusting one another as “family” members should.
There are a number of reasons why this all happened, not least the fact that players have admitted they found it difficult to function openly in a team environment where a player remains a coach.
Several have said they fear what they say in private conversations are relayed back to team management. Others talk about being scared to speak out with the same player/coach becoming a management figure after the World Cup.
But perhaps the most telling shift in the culture was the appointment of a High Performance Manager who had little experience and immediately upset a number of players with what they called an “arrogant approach”.
Players who had been loyal servants of the Bulls for years were suddenly told they meant little to the franchise, while others were told they had no future at the union, with one even being told he had played his last game for the Bulls.
So what did the players do? They upped and left in droves. Three consecutive player exoduses have been blamed on foreign clubs and the exchange rate. Some players would never have said no to a big paycheck, but in more than a dozen cases the Bulls made it easy for the players to choose to leave.
The line between management and players – one so many professional teams know not to cross – has become so blurred that there is enough evidence of those who decide on contracts living it up with the same players whose futures they hold in their hands. This caused more division and unhappiness among those in the squad.
Many of those involved have privately confided their unhappiness at the situation, but are too scared to speak out.
What they all agree on is that the “family” culture at the Bulls is dead. They talk of a clique of players who run the team, who live it up on tour and who are so close to the decision-makers that if you don’t align yourself with them, you may as well seek greener pastures elsewhere. If you wonder about this, make sure you search their social media profiles, where for some it looked as if life on the road was one big holiday.
All of this, of course, happened under Ludeke’s watch. But being the man he is, perhaps his biggest fault was that he tries to see the good in everyone he encounters.
This is why it festered for so long, and every new revelation brought disbelief. Ludeke truly believed that things were still moving ahead and that the team culture he worked so hard to foster was still the pure passionate one of 2009 and 2010.
But it wasn’t, and with the power shifting away from the coach and into the hands of others, the cracks became bigger and bigger, until not even a shift in the game plan could paper them over.
The Bulls will continue to look for the answers, but they need not look anywhere else but within the heart of their own ranks to find the answer. The players who have the power aren’t leaders and have not performed in this year’s competition to their ability.
Favourites continue to be selected, players are given their jerseys because they “are good guys” and in the favour of certain members of the management, no matter how many penalties they cost, or how limited their impact on the field is.
Once fertile development ground has been squandered and so many former Bulls are doing wonders at other franchises after the Bulls weren’t interested in their services.
The role of the Board of Directors also needs to come under scrutiny, because all of this happened under their watch. Ludeke may be the fall guy and his time at the Bulls may have come to an end, but questions need to be asked about the powers at Loftus and if the appointments they made, the crucial roles that have been filled through expediency rather than the best person for the job, were in the best interests of the franchise.
If the Bulls are to come out of this hole they find themselves in – and there is still more than enough talent at the union to do that – they will need to address the culture issues at Loftus Versfeld, the power plays and find a way to trust each other again.
When the Board of Directors meets to find Ludeke’s replacement they need to not only sift through CVs and feel out a candidate who will fit in, they need to find a leader who will keep the various factions in line, bring a common vision to the franchise and get all parties to work together again.
It won’t be easy in the current climate and if the wrong decisions are taken, a number of younger talent will up and leave again. Already there is a culture of distrust and disunity where blurred lines between management and players haven’t helped much.
Ludeke should shoulder his fair share of the blame for the Bulls’ problems of late, but not all of it.
Will the others who played their part in the team’s problems reflect and realise their mistakes and change their ways? If not, whoever will be the new coach will have the same problems with few solutions.
1 @ Victoriabok:
that is EXACTLY how I feel.
and I have been saying for a few weeks now that the Bulls do not look like they will even back each other… you fuck up… your problem.
Ons begin al die u19 voorspelers opdonner, belowende SA Skole stutte sal seker ook in hul moer gescrum word.
Die Bulls sal sukkel om meer as 6-8ste te kom as hulle nie van al die gatgabbas soos Wessel Roux, Pine Pienaar en Xander ontslae raak nie
Hulle het die regte besluit met Nollis gemaak, nou net ‘n afrigter soos Jimmy Stonehouse, Dawie Theron, Rassie or Nico Serfontein
sounds like a royal old highveld thunderstorm. Except those would blow over in an hour. This one wont.
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