Glasfit
Springbok lock Victor Matfield has given his team-mate some sage advice ahead of an impending move to Toulon in France after the World Cup : Learn French quickly.
The Bulls have named their team to face the Cheetahs this weekend with Jaco Pretorius coming in to the starting line up.
An estimated Fourty five thousand spectators arrived at Coca-Cola Park on Friday evening to watch the first Super Rugby match to be played in Gauteng in 2011.
Fears that the inclement weather would keep the spectators away was unfounded, despite the fact that the game started in a slight drizzle.
A game played at 100 miles an hour showed the difference in fitness levels. The Lions were much better prepared and in far greater match fit condition than the Bulls yesterday. Only the experience of the Bulls helped them to hang on and win their first game.
Lions (5) 20 / Bulls (24) 24 (Final Score)
The Lions hosted the Bulls at Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg at 19:10 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
In the first half it was all Bulls and they built up a 19 point lead by halftime.
In the second half it was all Lions as they clawed their way back to lose only by 3 points.
The Lions look extremely fit…. and better under Mitchell.
Sanzar made an announcement today to say some forced changes had to be made to the Referee line-ups for some of the First Round games
Vodacom Bulls scrumhalf, Fourie du Preez, describes his pending achievement of 100 Super Rugby matches for the Bulls as a ‘massive honour and milestone”.
Du Preez will become the fourth Bulls centurion in Super Rugby – and their first backline player – when he runs on the field for the Bulls against the Lions on Saturday.
Less than a week until Super Rugby 2011 kick off in it’s new expanded format.
Although our friends in the Cape will argue that the traditional “North v South” game is the Stormers v Bulls, for many Rugby Lovers in Gauteng, the North v South refers to the Jukskei River, and the rivalry between the teams from the country’s Administrative Capital city, and the African continent’s economic “Capital” city.
The Bulls will not only be fighting to keep their title as the best team in Super Rugby, they will also be fighting to keep their players. Continue reading
With their preparation for their defence of their Vodacom Super Rugby crown complete, the Vodacom Bulls gave their players the best news they could receive ahead of the long season ahead – a five-day holiday to rest.
The dark clouds did not hang over Loftus Versfeld for very long before Zane Kirchner delivered the silver lining with a broad smile.
A rib injury to Vodacom Bulls fullback, Zane Kirchner, blotted a perfect evening for his team’s 68-5 victory over the Pumas in Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday.
In direct contrast to some of South Africa’s other Super Rugby franchises, the Bulls showed very few signs of rust when they raced to an impressive 68-5 victory over an invitational Premier XV side at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday evening.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers will travel to the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday to cast an eagle eye over some of the World Cup hopefuls.
The Vodacom Bulls heaved a sigh of relief after their inspirational captain Victor Matfield was cleared to play in the opening game of their defence of their Super Rugby crown against the Lions on February 19.
Vodacom Bulls scrumhalf Fourie du Preez will captain the Bulls side that will play a Premier’s XV in Nelspruit on Saturday.
The Vodacom Bulls will be anxiously waiting for a clearance certificate for their captain Victor Matfield as he continues to battle a neck strain ahead of this year’s Super Rugby season.
The value of the Kings victory over the weekend should not only be measured in the final score or their ‘readiness’ program for Super Rugby 2013. Continue reading
Southern Kings (6) 23 / Vodacom Bulls (0) 7 (Final Score)
The Southern Kings hosted the Vodacom Bulls in Port Elizabeth in a warm-up match for the Bulls to prepare them for the upcoming Super Rugby Competition. Similarly this game was the first measure for the Southern Kings to see how they might progress in a Super Rugby Competition from 2013.
This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 and CSN.
This was the 1st live coverage of South African rugby for 2011, this year is going to be busy, so strap yourselves in, kiss the wife a last few times, get the cold ones and snacks ready…. rugby is upon us!
Springboks Chiliboy Ralepelle and Bjorn Basson will learn if they can play in the 2011 Rugby World Cup on Friday when the South African Rugby Union announces the results of their doping hearing.
Courtesy News 24
Brenden Nel – SuperSport
Johannesburg – Vodacom Bulls captain Derick Kuün believes there is a “big excitement” in his team at the moment ahead of their first hit-out of the season against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday night. Continue reading
Bulls flanker Derick Kuün will captain the Bulls in their 1st pre-season friendly against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Springboks Bjorn Basson and Chiliboy Ralepelle will have to wait a while longer before they know their fate in the ongoing doping saga.
Chilliboy Ralepelle and Bjorn Basson will face a SARU judicial committee at 09h00 this morning. Continue reading
The Vodacom Bulls will continue to play matches in stadiums built for the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa.
Vodacom Bulls scrumhalf, Francois Hougaard, will be out of action for four weeks after picking up a foot injury in training.
Player management in this, a World Cup year, is once again in the spotlight. And the three-time defending champion Bulls seem to have the perfect blueprint on the subject.
If history is anything to go by, the South African challenge for the new Super 15 trophy will be a 3-horse race. Continue reading
Bulls have a tough start to the season. Losing coaches, key players injured and now management is hit by serious health issues to senior role players and their families.
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.
Its now only 40 days away
The following articles comes from the Afrikaans newspapers, maybe later today or tomorrow it will appear in English. Thanks to Rapport we have a bit of Rugby news.
The Bulls will play warm-up games against the EP Kings and a Premier XV as part of their 2011 Super Rugby preparations, the union announced on Wednesday.
Vodacom Blue Bulls legend John Mametsa has decided to call it a day on his playing career.
Loftus Versfeld stadium manager Hugo Kemp reaffirmed on Sunday what the Blue Bulls Company had warned earlier in the week when he commented on AfriForum’s alleged attempt to use the venue as a platform to promote their smear campaign against Currie Cup sponsors Absa.
Pretoria – Vodacom Blue Bulls No 8, Pierre Spies, has been ruled out of Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup rugby match against Griquas in Kimberley. Continue reading