Stalwart Lions hooker Jaco Visagie has retired due to injury and flyhalf Kade Wolhuter has moved across the Jukskei to the Bulls.
The Lions have lost a couple of players during the November international break, after stalwart hooker Jaco Visagie was forced to retire due to injury, while young flyhalf Kade Wolhuter has moved to the Bulls on loan.
The 33-year-old Visagie was unable to recover from a neck injury, sustained in the Currie Cup competition earlier this year, and was forced to call time on a career that started back in 2013 with the Bulls, with him also having played for Gloucester in England and Stade Toulousain in France before arriving in Johannesburg.
The Lions announced his retirement last week with a brief message saying: “Jaco has had to call time on his career due to injury. Thank you for the years of hard work, heart, and dedication to the franchise. Wishing you every success in the journey ahead.”
Big blow
The loss of Visagie is a big blow for the union as their first-choice hooker, PJ Botha, is currently out with a long-term injury.
They have, however, moved to fill the void by signing Griquas hooker Janco Uys on loan, and he joins their other senior hookers, Franco Marais, Morne Brandon and Marno Grobbelaar.
Over the weekend Rapport released a story saying that the Lions were targeting bringing former Cheetahs and current Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe to the union when his contract runs out at the end of the current season, but that he favoured a move to Irish giants Munster.
The move of Wolhuter to the Bulls came as a bit of a surprise, despite the young 24-year-old being out of favour at the Lions.
Wolhuter moved up to Johannesburg from Cape Town in 2023, where he had fallen out of favour at the Stormers after a lengthy knee injury, signing initially on loan and then making the move permanent in 2024.
The 24-year-old Wolhuter had been viewed as a replacement for Jordan Hendrikse, who left at the end of the 2023-24 season for the Sharks, but has been unable to establish himself as one of the Lions’ favoured flyhalves.
They signed former Bulls flyhalf Chris Smith from French side Oyannax earlier this year, and he is now considered first choice, with Lubablo Dobela, Gianni Lombard and youngster Sam Francis as the next in line.
Bulls flyhalves
The Bulls signed Springbok star Handre Pollard in the off season, but they know he will be unavailable at various stages over the rest of the season due to him having to follow resting protocols, because he is a Springbok player.
With the constant injury problems suffered by Johan Goosen, and Boeta Chamberlain having left for Newcastle Red Bulls, Wolhuter will come in to back up Keagan Johannes, who has done will since shifting from scrumhalf to flyhalf, and Bok fullback Willie le Roux who has been the No 10 back up.
Wolhuter said about his arrival at the Bulls: “I’m super excited. My ambition is to get onto the pitch and start contributing, after which I’d like to have a proper tenure at the union.”
Mills woes
Adding to the Lions’ player woes young midfielder Bronson Mills who may be unavailable going forward, after he appeared in court earlier this month due to an alleged assault in Cape Town.
The 22-year-old Mills started at inside centre in the Lions’ last match against Ulster last month, before handing himself over to police in Cape Town, after reports of the alleged assault surfaced.
The Lions have remained tight lipped on the situation, but it is unlikely that Mills will be considered going forward, due to the negative publicity that would be sure to follow if he was selected to play.
The Lions, Bulls, Stormers and Sharks resume United Rugby Championship duty this coming weekend.
