Prodigal son may end his career with Bulls
Three more names have been announced by the Bulls' management as part of the exodus of players who will not be part of the new Jake White era at Loftus Versfeld, while one of Pretoria's prodigal sons may finally get the chance to end his career in a Bulls jersey, after getting a cold shoulder from the recruiters at Loftus years ago.
Shortly after the news broke that the Bulls’ captain, Burger Odendaal, will be leaving Loftus Versfeld to join the Lions, it also became known that three other regular faces in the SuperRugby team are no longer on the Blue Bulls Company’s payroll.
The Bulls confirmed that prop Wiehahn Herbst, hooker Jaco Visagie and loose forward Abongile Nonkontwana will all leave Loftus Versfeld.
Like Odendaal, Herbst and Visagie will join the Bulls’ neighbours across the Jukskei river, the Lions. Although it is speculated that Nonkontwana is considering an offer from Griquas, nothing has yet been confirmed from Kimberley or Pretoria.
Herbst joined the Bulls after the 2018 season and spent a year and a half in the colours of the Bulls where his experience assisted immensely on the field and also in the grooming of some of the younger front row crop.
Visagie made his first-class debut in 2013’s Vodacom Cup and went on to representing the franchise at all levels including u.19, u.21, Currie Cup and Super Rugby. He earned his 50th cap for the Bulls against the Blues earlier this year.
The 25-year old Nonkontwana, a former SA Schools and Junior Springbok, joined the Bulls after finishing his schooling at St. Alban’s College in Pretoria in 2014 and went on to represent the franchise at u.19, u.21, Super Sport Rugby Challenge, Currie Cup and Super Rugby level.
The big loose forward, who can also play in the second row, joined the Cheetahs in 2018, where he tasted European rugby in the Guinness PRO14 before returning to Loftus Versfeld for the 2020 Super Rugby season.
Meanwhile, the Bulls also confirmed that the former prop of the Lions, who later also played for Bath in England, Jacques van Rooyen, will report to Loftus Versfeld this week for fitness and medical tests. He is currently back in Pretoria, having played in Japan last season since leaving Bath.
The 33-year-old Van Rooyen had a very successful professional career after being recruited by Johan Ackerman in 2013 out of the club rugby system in Pretoria at the age of 26 to join the Lions.
He eventually played in 130 games for the Lions, of which 66 were SuperRugby games. This strong scrummer and excellent ball carrier has represented the Lions in three consecutive SuperRugby finals (2016-2018), while also being the union’s Currie Cup captain in 2018.
Although Van Rooyen will probably be used as a backup for Springbok Lizo Qoboka, his experience and leadership qualities could be worth gold for the Bulls during the building process to Jake White’s new team.
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