Bulls’ forwards depth phenomenal after recruiting two more young locks
Jake White's team-building effort is still not complete and the Bulls' latest acquisitions is two promising young locks.
The Blue Bulls Company confirmed last week that they have attracted two more promising young locks to Loftus Versfeld as part of the new Rugby Director Jake White’s future plans.
The 25-year-old lock forward Sintu Manjezi will join the Bulls from the Cheetahs from 1 July, while White surprised with the announcement that the relatively unknown Jan Uys would also move from France to Loftus Versfeld.
Manjezi has stamped his authority in the Guinness PRO14 tournament in recent seasons as a tough as nails and uncompromising lock in the Cheetahs’ pack.
His core strength in the scrum coupled with his prowess at lineout time and ability to poach the ball off the ground makes him a valuable asset to the Bulls.
The 1.98m and 114kg former St. Andrews Grahamstown scholar started his career in the colours of the Eastern Province Kings and made his Super Rugby debut for the Southern Kings in 2015.
He also cut his teeth in the Varsity Cup, South Africa’s premier university competition, in the colours of the Madibas from the Nelson Mandela Metro University (NMMU) before shifting to the Griquas. He then made the move to Bloemfontein at the end 2018 where he represented the Cheetahs in the PRO14 and assisted the Free State Cheetahs in lifting the Currie Cup during last season’s successful campaign.
Uys will also join on 1 July from French Top 14 club CA Brive where he has spent the last few seasons after an initial six months with fellow Top 14 outfit Pau.
It did not take him long to carve out a reputation as powerful ball carrier in the unforgiving environment that is French rugby, but what sets him apart is his ball handling ability, an attribute usually more associated with loose forwards and backs.
The 1.99m and 120kg behemoth made his first-class debut in the 2014 instalment of Vodacom Cup in the colours of Western Province after representing the union at u.21 and u.19 level. He also contributed to the cause of UCT Ikeys’ campaign in the 2014 Varsity Cup where they clinched the final in the most dramatic fashion.
The former Paul Roos Gimnasium scholar spent a season with the Eastern Province Kings in 2015 where he captained the u.21 team on occasion before leaving for France.
With these two acquisitions, White’s purchases of his forwards group for the future are likely to be finalized, though persistent rumours suggest he is also serious about luring Springbok flank Marcell Coetzee to Pretoria ahead of next year’s SuperRugby series.
That means White’s three young signings in the lock position, Manjezi, Uys and another Cheetahs player, Walt Steenkamp, are likely to compete next year with veteran Springbok Juandré Kruger and young Turk and former Junior Springbok Ruan Nortjé for the two lock positions.
Kruger, who turns 35 in September, will have to improve drastically on his performances from earlier this year if he wants to keep the young men out of the team. His future role is likely to be mainly in a mentoring capacity.
It is also noteworthy that all three of the young acquisitions are more known than the macro-type locks, while on the other hand, Ruan Nortje is known as an athletic lock with extraordinary ability in the lineouts.
However, White will make a big mistake if he underestimates the 21-year old Nortjé. This young workhorse’s playing style and work ethic are quite reminiscent of a younger Franco Mostert. These days Mostert’s success at all levels is well known, while the Bulls’ former management still has egg on the faces for underestimating him and letting him slipped through their fingers.
Meanwhile, three other locks that were part of Pote Human’s SuperRugby group this year apparently do not form part of White’s future plans.
It is rumoured that the promising young Ryno Pieterse, who made his debut for the Bulls in the SuperRugby tournament this year, has already found another rugby home.
The experienced and underrated Andries Ferreira has apparently also read the signs that he is not part of White’s future plans and is said to be on the lookout for another contract.
Another underrated lock, Ian Groenewald, who was part of Pote Human’s SuperRugby group earlier this year as on-loan player from Griquas, is apparently already in Bloemfontein, where he will play for the Cheetahs in the future.
Now, Bulls supporters are waiting in suspense for White’s completion of his backline staff. There is especially great curiosity about who he will recruit as Morné Steyn’s assistant in the flyhalf position.
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