The Bulls officially confirmed that sensational openside flanker, Marco van Staden, will be leaving Loftus Versfeld at the end of June to further his career with the Leicester Tigers in England.

Van Staden, more affectionately known as ‘Eskom’ by his peers (for putting a few lights out over his career), quickly became a crowd favourite with his intense work rate and insane physicality on the field.

He excelled through the junior ranks at Loftus, working his way up and earning 29 Super Rugby caps and featuring in 18 Carling Currie Cup matches. Add to that three test appearances for the Springboks, and it’s safe to say that the young man has had an electrifying start to his career.

Among rugby experts and fans, there were many comments about Van Staden’s brilliant form during the Covid-19 affected 2020 season. These comments inevitably also drew comparisons between his brilliant play and the struggle of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi to achieve any acceptable form.

There is much speculation as to whether Rassie Erasmus and the new Springbok coach, Jacques Nienaber, will be able to select Van Staden in the upcoming Test series against the British and Irish Lions as first choice fetcher flanker at the expense of Kolisi, as Van Staden is undoubtedly currently in another class when he has to be compared to the Springboks’ World Cup captain.

This hot potato of the national management and selectors most likely played a role in Van Staden’s decision to accept the offer of Leicester Tigers.

However, it can be assumed that the Leicester Tigers’ offer to Van Staden was quite large and that, as a young player, he probably had to weigh the opportunity to earn big money against all the other factors. Rugby players’ careers can be jeopardized due to injuries and therefore the chance to earn good money in British pounds most probably played a decisive role for Van Staden.

“Marco is a phenomenal player, and is probably one of the most complete number 6’s in the world currently. Situations like these are always met with mixed emotions.  I never want to lose a player of his calibre, but I’m also excited and proud of the player he has become. We wish him all the best with his journey ahead and know he will grow from strength to strength and will be a massive asset for Leicester,” said Jake White, Director of Rugby at the Vodacom Bulls.

Van Staden humbly thanked the Bulls for the opportunities he got at Loftus Versfeld.

“My time at Loftus has been amazing to say the least. The Bulls have always backed me and helped me grow as a person on and off the field. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities and lessons from the Bulls. To each and every person that has impacted my career thus far, the guys that I played with, the coaches and management, and the staff at Loftus, I sincerely thank you. I may be moving on, but I truly hope that our bond will remain” Van Staden commented.

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