URC
White’s Vodacom Bulls prepared for Munster clash
The Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White, has announced his match-day 23 that will face Munster Rugby in round 5 of the 2022 season of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship. The Marcel Coetzee led side will step onto the field on Saturday (15 October 2022) with six changes to the xv that started against Glasgow.
White has given Simphiwe Matanzima a start at loose-head prop, with Johan Goosen (fly-half) and Harold Vorster (inside centre) returning to the matchday squad. Last week, Goosen missed out as a precautionary measure to protect the player from 4G surface the side played on. Mornay Smith slots in at tight-head prop, whilst the second row remains the same with the only change at open-side flanker, where WJ Steenkamp will get his first run of this season’s European campaign. Embrose Papier (scrum-half) swaps jersey’s with Zak Burger, who will get his run from the bench.
The back three combination of Lionel Mapoe, Cornel Hendricks and Kurt-Lee Arendse will run out at Thomond Park, looking to add more tries to the team’s 14 of the 2022 campaign.
The matchup is set be an enthralling outing as both sides look to bounce back from round 4 defeats, motivation that is not lost to the Vodacom Bulls mentor. Speaking on the choice of the playing 23, White said the changes were routine.
“Nothing untoward (referring to the changes), we would have changed anyway and we will probably change for the game against the Sharks too before we go into the break. These changes help keep good morale and motivation for the entire squad,”
The Vodacom Bulls squad is one of the youngest in the competition and this is something that excites White.
“I am very proud that these guys are coming through the ranks. 5-10 years ago, we wouldn’t have this sort of team makeup, where young guys form part of the core of the team. It is fantastic to see these players graduate and come through the youth system, and in a couple of years we will have a strong Vodacom Bulls team,”
Speaking on the #BullsHeard opponents this weekend, the Vodacom Bulls mentor said: “Munster are a good team, playing at home (in Limerick), with their back against the wall, it is going to be a tough encounter. There is also massive amount of test match rugby experience for their players that play for Ireland and we anticipate they will go back to draw from that experience,”
“This weekend will be a good test for us, we are a young side – with players in their early 20’s – yet we have done well, far exceeding expectations in the season past and as (last season’s), finalists we must (also) consider that other teams will want to up their game against us, perhaps preparing for our games a bit more than they may have done previously” concluded White.
The Munster clash will kick-off at 20:35pm (CAT) and broadcasts LIVE on SuperSport Rugby.
VODACOM BULLS vs MUNSTER STARTING XV:
1. Simphiwe Matanzima, 2. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 3. Mornay Smith, 4. Walt Steenkamp, 5. Ruan Nortje, 6. Marcell Coetzee (c), 7. WJ Steenkamp, 8. Elrigh Louw, 9. Embrose Papier, 10. Johan Goosen, 11. Wandisile Simelane, 12. Harold Vorster, 13. Lionel Mapoe, 14. Cornal Hendricks, 15. Kurt-Lee Arendse
VODACOM BULLS IMPACT SQUAD:
16. Bismarck Du Plessis, 17. Dylan Smith, 18. Jacques van Rooyen, 19. Ruan Vermaak, 20. Marco Van Staden, 21. Zak Burger, 22. Chris Smith, 23. David Kriel
VODACOM BULLS TOURING SQUAD:
FORWARDS (17): Gerhard Steenekamp, Simphiwe Matanzima, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Bismarck Du Plessis, Francois Klopper, Mornay Smith, Walt Steenkamp, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje, Janko Swanepoel, Marcell Coetzee (c), WJ Steenkamp, Marco Van Staden, Reinhardt Ludwig, Elrigh Louw, Dylan Smith and Joe van Zyl
BACKS (13): Zak Burger, Embrose Papier, Johan Goosen, Chris Smith, Stedman Gans, Bernard Van der Linde, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Lionel Mapoe, Morne Steyn, Cornal Hendricks, Wandisile Simelane and Kurt-Lee Arendse
MANAGEMENT: Jake White – Director of Rugby, Nollis Marais – Breakdown, Russell Winter – Forwards, Chris Rossouw – Backs, Elias Bennett – Team Managerr, John-William Meyer – Technical Analyst, Dr Herman Rossouw – Team Doctor, Lance Lemmetjies – Senior Physiotherapist
Vodacom Bulls tour itinerary:
8 October 2022 at 20:35
Sctoland, Scotstoun Stadium – Glasgow Warriors 35-21 Vodacom Bulls
15 October 2022 at 20:35
Ireland, Thomond Park – Munster vs Vodacom Bulls
22 October 2022 at 18:30
Italy, Stadio Monigo – Benetton vs Vodacom Bulls
Content & Images from – Vodacom Bulls Rugby
The Vodacom Bulls have welcomed back the services of Johan Goosen and Nizaam Carr for round 4 of the 2023 Currie Cup campaign. The Pretoria outfit travels to the Down Touch Investments Stadium, where they will take on the Novavit Griffons on Friday [31 March 2023] afternoon.
Kick-off for the clash is set for 15h00pm.
Flyhalf, Goosen was sidelined due to shoulder surgery whilst Carr (flanker) nursed a hamstring niggle. The pair are the only two changes made by coach, Edgar Marutlulle to the starting XV that did duty against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, a week ago.
Carr will line up alongside Phumzile Maqondwana and Muller Uys in the back row, in an otherwise unchanged forwards pack that includes captain Lizo Gqoboka, Jan Hendrik Wessels, Robert Hunt, Jacques Du Plessis and Reinhardt Ludwig. Goosen will join Keagan Johannes to combine as the two halfbacks in Welkom whilst Lionel Mapoe and Wandisile Simelane combine at centre. Kabelo Mokoena (left) and Quewin Nortje (right) will burn the gas burners from the wing with Franco Knoetze serving at fullback.
On the bench, Jacques van Rooyen and Simphiwe Matanzima have swapped locations, as van Rooyen joins the European squad with Matanzima reuniting with the South African camp, for family reasons. JP Alberts and Adriaan Joubert are the only other two changes made to the bench.
Marutlulle said that having Johan and Carr return was a welcomed boost for the club.
“If anyone offers you Goosen for your Currie Cup game, you take him at the blink of an eye. He is a world-class player who has travelled the world, represented the Springboks and played really amazing rugby in his career and so we are excited to have him with us for the Currie Cup,”
“I think when some people call you a prodigal interms of sport, where Johan has been earmarked since the age of 16,17 and there has always been that pressure of performance which he has shown at times. He has gone on to win two ‘Player of the Year’ awards during his time at the Top14 in France,”
“As a new coaching staff, we have the ability to give Johan freshness, the opportunity to give him space and a new voice where this team becomes the place where he can relax because he knows this is not the penultimate of rugby.”
On Nizaam moving between blind-side, open-side and eighth man, the Currie Cup mentor said: “We know Nizaam can play all around [6, 7, 8], he has enough adequate skills that bring us the all-important balance that we need in that back row. Supported by the likes of Phumzile who has done well in the opportunities he has gotten,”
On the challenge that awaits in Welkom, Marutlulle said: “I think this is the first time we have been able to put together a similar team together for two weekends in a row, and this is always the challenge of a franchise team. Finding consistency in selection and match-to-match performance. So we are hoping to begin seeing that cohesion and those relationships building through, continuing our momentum from the game last week,”
“We expect a difficult challenge from the Griffons in terms of what they offer physically, they have a 10 that can kick well and a 9 that can also kick for posts. They really have a mixed bag in terms of the style that they bring to the Currie Cup but we are excited for the challenge and we are really looking forward to growing and improving on last weeks performance where we were really good for 60 minutes of the game.”
VODACOM BULLS vs NOVAVIT GRIFFONS STARTING XV:
1. Lizo Gqoboka (c), 2. Jan Hendrik Wessels, 3. Robert Hunt, 4. Jacques Du Plessis, 5. Reinhardt Ludwig, 6. Phumzile Maqondwana, 7. Nizaam Carr, 8. Muller Uys, 9. Keagan Johannes, 10. Johan Goosen, 11. Kabelo Mokoena, 12. Lionel Mapoe (vc), 13. Wandisile Simelane, 14. Quewin Nortje, 15. Franco Knoetze
VODACOM BULLS IMPACT SQUAD:
16. Simphiwe Matanzima, 17. Joe Van Zyl, 18. Sebastian Lombard, 19. JP Alberts, 20. Mihlali Mosi, 21. Bernard van der Linde, 22. Chris Barend Smit, 23. Adriaan Joubert
MANAGEMENT: Edgar Marutlulle – Head Coach, Sean Everitt – Defence & Breakdown, Hugo van As – Backline, Gert Smal – Forwards, Justin – Technical Analyst, Dr. Herman Rossouw – Team Doctor, Mike Prevoo – Strength & Conditioning, Darryn Berry – Physiotherapist, Claudette Eckard – Physiotherapist, Andries Kabine – Logistics Manager, Yusuf Vahed – Team Manager
Content & Images from – Vodacom Bulls Rugby
A 28-man Munster travelling squad has been named ahead of Saturday’s Champions Cup round of 16 clash against the Sharks in Durban (12.30pm Irish time/1.30pm local).
Preparations for the game started on Monday, see today’s best training pics from Thomond Park here.
Players and management will fly out tonight and arrive in Durban tomorrow evening (Wednesday) ahead of the game.
16 forwards and 12 backs will make the trip with Munster’s 23-man matchday squad to be named at 12pm on Friday.
On the injury front, Niall Scannell (shoulder) has returned to full team training and has been selected in the travelling group.
Antoine Frisch is also included after recovering from a low-grade leg injury.
On the club front, there were seven Munster players in AIL Division 1A action at the weekend.
Daniel Hurley helped Cork Constitution to a 36-19 victory over a Shannon side that included Darragh McSweeney and Daniel Okeke.
Dan Goggin, Patrick Campbell and Shay McCarthy started for Young Munster in their win over UCD.
Tony Butler was in action for Garryowen as they were beaten by Terenure College.
Munster Travelling Squad
Forwards: Dave Kilcoyne, Josh Wycherley; Diarmuid Barron, Scott Buckley, Niall Scannell; Stephen Archer, Keynan Knox, Roman Salanoa; Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman, Fineen Wycherley; Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue, Peter O’Mahony.
Backs: Craig Casey, Conor Murray, Paddy Patterson; Joey Carbery, Jack Crowley, Ben Healy; Malakai Fekitoa, Antoine Frisch; Shane Daly, Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Simon Zebo.
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
Leinster Head Coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup match against Ulster in Aviva Stadium.
Over 48,000 tickets have already been sold for the match. You can buy the last remaining tickets for the Round of 16 clash here.
Johnny Sexton will see a specialist on Tuesday and have a procedure on the groin injury picked up in Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations game against England which will likely keep him sidelined for the remainder of the Leinster Rugby season.
Garry Ringrose, Hugo Keenan and Caelan Doris will continue to follow the Graduated Return to Play Protocols this week.
Ed Byrne came through the game at the weekend with no issues after his return from a knee injury.
There are no further updates on:
Jamie Osborne (knee), Rónan Kelleher (shoulder), Joe McCarthy (ankle), Cormac Foley (hamstring), Martin Moloney (knee) and Charlie Ngatai (hamstring)
Images & Content from Leinster Rugby
Jones to leave Springboks after RWC campaign
Goosen and Carr return as Vodacom Bulls travel to Griffons
John Muldoon to rejoin Connacht as Forwards Coach
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