Bulls ready for SuperRugby with well-balanced squad
The Bulls' full squad for this year's SuperRugby Tournament was announced last week.
Bulls head coach, Pote Human, has selected his 40-man squad that will do duty in this year’s Super Rugby tournament.
The squad is the perfect blend of experience and youth with Human opting for 22 forwards and 18 backs.
The Bulls start their campaign with two tough South African derbies away from home. Next Friday they will face the Sharks in Durban, while the Stormers will be waiting for them a week later on February 8 in Cape Town.
The team’s first home game is on February 22 at Loftus Versfeld against the Blues of New Zealand.
Burger Odendaal will captain the team while marshalling the inside centre channel and will have international experience to call on from Loftus favourite Morné Steyn returning to Pretoria after several seasons in France.
The Bulls will also get to enjoy the services of Tongan international, Nafi Tuitavake, as the centre 18 test matches for his home country under his belt returns to Super Rugby after plying his trade in England. He played for the Crusaders in 2014.
This will be the first time in the Bulls’ history that they will use the services of a player form overseas.
The backs have several new youthful players that have proved their worth for other teams but now have the opportunity to do the same for the Bulls at senior level. Guys such as Chris Smith and Richard Kriel will be eagerly waiting in the wings.
New faces amongst the forwards include former Bull and Springbok lock, Juandré Kruger; Scottish capped Josh Strauss and Namibian hooker Louis van der Westhuizen who all bolster a forward pack that is brimming with younger players who want to leave their mark on the tournament including Muller Uys, Jeandré Rudolph and Abongile Nonkontwana.
Bulls 2020 squad is: (Forwards) Simphiwe Matanzima, Gerhard Steenekamp, Lizo Gqoboka, Corniel Els, Jaco Visagie, Muller Uys, Johan Grobbelaar, Louis van der Westhuizen, Trevor Nyakane, Wiehahn Herbst, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Andries Ferreira, Ryno Pieterse, Ian Groenewald, Juandré Kruger, Ruan Nortje, Tim Agaba, Marco van Staden, Jeandré Rudolph, Ruan Steenkamp, Abongile Nonkontwana, Wian Vosloo and Josh Strauss. (Backs) Ivan van Zyl, Embrose Papier, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Morné Steyn, Chris Smith, Manie Libbok, Rosko Specman, Divan Rossouw, Burger Odendaal, Dylan Sage, Franco Naude, Cornal Hendricks, Nafi Tuitavake, Marnus Potgieter, Johnny Kotze, Jade Stighling, Warrick Gelant and Richard Kriel.
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