Bulls confirm negotiations with Brits
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have revealed that they are negotiating a contract with Springbok hooker Schalk Brits.
Brits recently signed a contract with Stormers, however, according to a South African Afrikaans newspaper Die Rapport, Western Province financial committee intervened and did not approve his contract.
Therefore, the 37-year-old is now free to join the Bulls and according to the Bulls recent press release the franchise are “in advanced stages of securing the services of Springbok hooker Schalk Brits, and we will make an announcement in due course,”
Meanwhile, Nick de Jager will be loaned to Japan club Shoki and Jaco Visagie will be loaned to the Premiership side Gloucester. The pair will return at the start of January 2019.
The Bulls are indeed building a formidable Super Rugby squad with the likes Springbok Duane Vermeulen is amongst the new faces in the Bulls wider training group for next year’s competition.
Vermeulen moved from Toulon earlier this year and following a short spell at Kubota Spears in Japan, will now again play his rugby in South Africa.
The backline will also have some new impact from Blitzboks Dylan Sage and Rosko Specman, while former Springbok wing Cornal Hendricks joins the squad as well.
Stedman Gans will also join the group once his Blitzboks duties in the World Rugby Sevens Series are concluded.
Xander Janse van Rensburg, High-Performance Manager at the Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd also announced the signing of exciting young loose forward, Muller Uys. The Junior Springbok flank joins from Western Province and will add youthful energy to the experienced loose trio.
Janse van Rensburg confirmed the continued trial of Carel du Preez. The former Blitzbok will train with the squad till February when a final call will be made on his future involvement.
“We have also added a junior group to the wider squad. This group consists of some of our best junior players and we believe this exposure to the senior group will expedite their progress and serve as a valuable tool to their development,”
The Bulls training squad:
Forwards: Duane Vermeulen, Tim Agaba, Muller Uys, Hanro Liebenberg, Jannes Kirsten, Thembelani Bholi, Carel du Preez, Roelof Smit, Nick de Jager, Ruan Steenkamp, Marco van Staden, Paul (Tier) Schoeman, Jano Venter, Jason Jenkins, Hendre Stassen, RG Snyman, Lood de Jager, Trevor Nyakane, Lizo Gqoboka, Matthys Basson, Nqoba Mxoli, Simphiwe Matanzima, Madot Mabokela, Conraad van Vuuren, Frans van Wyk, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Jaco Visagie, Edgar Marutlulle, Johan Grobbelaar
Backs: Warrick Gelant, Divan Rossouw, Travis Ismaiel, Duncan Matthews, Cornal Hendricks, Jade Stighling, Rosko Specman, Jesse Kriel, Dylan Sage, Johnny Kotze, Stedman Gans, Burger Odendaal, JT Jackson, Franco Naude, Handre Pollard, Manie Libbok, Marnitz Boshoff, Ivan van Zyl, Embrose Papier, Andre Warner, Theo Maree.
