New Bulls signings

The following from Planet Rugby:-
"The Blue Bulls have announced that former Springbok fly-half Marnitz Boshoff has joined them on a two-year contract.

The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd confirmed Boshoff’s deal as well as the extension of contracts of a number of leading players in their ranks.

Boshoff was recently released from his contract with Irish province Connacht on humanitary reasons on his wish to return to South Africa following the death of his father.

The former Golden Lions stalwart now joins the Blue Bulls and will return to Pretoria, where he played most of his junior career, till 2019.

Boshoff will be available for the Blue Bulls with immediate effect.

Another new face at Blue Bulls training is former Golden Lions loose forward Jano Venter. The number eight was a standout for the Johannesburg-based side during the recent SuperSport Rugby Challenge. He also joined on a two-year deal until 2019.

Former Springbok Sevens World Series winner and Olympic Sevens bronze medallist, Tim Agaba, is another new face at Loftus Versfeld and has joined the squad having recovered from an ankle injury.

The high performance manager at the Blue Bulls Company, Xander Janse van Rensburg, also confirmed the extension of contracts of a number of high profile players.

Current Springbok squad member, Lizo Gqoboka and South Africa A lock, Jason Jenkins, both extended their contracts until 2019, while highly rated scrum-half Andre Warner and wing Duncan Matthews also extended their Loftus Versfeld stay. Warner signed till 2019 and Matthews till 2020.

Current Junior Springbok prop Gerhard Steenekamp also opted for two more years in Pretoria.

“This is pretty exciting times for us,” said Janse van Rensburg.

“Not only are we getting players of international calibre confirming their confidence in our structures, but we also see current players expressing their desire to build and extend their careers with us.

“This is a humbling endorsement of the process underway in Pretoria. We are hoping to build something special and with quality players like these who just put pen to paper, the results will be seen sooner, rather than later.”

Once Mitchell gets hold of Boshoff he will definitely improve on an already good flyhalf performance record and Pollard will have tyo pull up his socks to retain his flyhalf position .

I don't think Boshoff is very good- certainly not good enough to put pressure on Pollard. 
Boshoff was a one season wonder. Before that, he was a journey man that went from club to club- usually as part of the extended squad to cover injuries

 remember that kick he missed.....?

Remember the game last year between the Crusaders and the Lions?
It was the best Lions performance in years and Boshoff was the flyhalf.
Lets face facts - Pollard did not have any good games in 2015 and played no rugby in 2016.    He is not even in the Springbok squad for Saturday - but that may have to do with his skin colour.  

 
It's sad to see Marnitz go to the Bulls.

No doubt Mitchell sees something in him too.

I just hope he gets a lot of game time.

Can see him taking the Bok 10 jersey away from the jittery Jantjies.

Pollard hasn't impressed at senior level yet. 

Pollard is a hype player at this point. Sure he is talented, and I still think he could become a great, but even outside his injuries, he has been very average over the last two years. Glad for Marnitz, and hopeful for the Bulls. 

And there I thought that I was the only one who noticed that Pollard is nothing special. I like the idea of Boshoff going back to the Bulls.

 Has everyone forgotten how Boshoff totally fell apart in the CC final against the WP. Single handedly lost the game for the Lions.
Just saying, if we are gonna talk about nerves, jitters and choking then we had better discuss that incident.

 
Yes ... he gave way to pressure that day ... but ... Jantjie still reigns supreme as the Jitter King of South African rugby.

Jantjies has had a lot of support and time on the pitch to correct it ... sadly he's nerves have betrayed him under pressure ... and us in the end too.

The only reason he's got the Bok 10 jersey is because there isn't anyone else.

I'm hoping Marnitz will blossom under Mitchell and stake his claim.

@CC, I would hold back on putting everything on Mitchell until I know who his support staff is. I think that Carlos Spencer had a big role during his time at the Lions. Then again, even Chester Williams and Winnie the Pooh would probably be an improvement on Nollis Marais.

 
I suppose.

He's no fool though. I'm sure he'll select a crew that's more than capable. 

Personally ... I think the Lions are going to fall away now that Ackerman's left ... I also think we'll see the Sharks and Bulls rise up to replace them as the dominant teams in the country.

The Lions have alraedy made some stupid decisions. The appointment of Matfield as their forwards coach is seriously stupid. I dunno what they were thinking. Letting Acker vd Merwe leave without a fight is another stupid decision ... and not drawing Marnitz back into the fold makes it three. How many other bad decisions have they made that we don't know about.

Bulls are going to be a force under Mitchell and I hope Marnitz will be a part of it.

I know that it is hard to see anything positive in the Matfield appointment, especially if you have a deep dislike in him. What cannot be ignored, despite Ou Tokkie trying to prove the contrary for ages, is that in the season when he was involved in coaching at the Bulls as their attacking and line-out coach, they won the SA conference and by some margin, IIRC. He did not fail dismally in his coaching role, like Ou Tokkie so often like to announce. Add to that the fact that his ability to transfer his is always praised to high heavens by players who played with him, particularly youngsters. Go check what all the current players, who were involved with him at some stage, has said. PSDT, Eben, Willemse, Loodvoet, etc.

 
Well maybe I'm being a little unfair. I have no choice however but to wait and see what he brings.

From the circles I hang around in, many being big Bulls fans, I'm told stories of arrogance, sowing seeds of division, undermining those in senior positions and a deep desire that he has to take over the show.

I also have question about why the Bulls didn't keep him if he was that much of an asset.

Yes ... you are right ... I don't like him. He's not a team player.

I hope you are right, Ceradyne

I don't think that it was a matter of the Bulls not keeping him. He stopped coaching when he started playing again and then, after the RWC, when he was out of contract, he was signed by Northampton where they wanted him for his coaching abilities as well. It was no secret that his main purpose was not to play every game for eighty minutes. Not even every game. They were mostly after his knowledge.

The best lineout forward that has ever lived, and most capped Springbok of all time- can surely impart some knowledge. 
Outside of the lineout, Matfield played more as a blindside flank. He was often effective on attack- except when both he and Schalk stood in the backline.

 Wee matfiled is a sharp operator. You don't get to stay in the Bok side year after year when you have contributed next to nothing apart from the lineouts without being a sharp oak and masterful con artist.I suspect wee matfiled will make a good coach despite being the worst lock ever to play for the Boks. A 105 kg weakling who reduced the Bok tight 5 to a tight 4 and made sure he didn't do any of the real work.  He spent his time telling everyone else how to play and how to cover for his lack of contribution. Some extremely gullible oaks here were completely taken in.Beeno as always not allowing wee matfiled gullible gimps to distort reality. 

CC, don't be so negative about the loss of Ackerman. Yes it is a big blow, but it is my understanding that much of the Lions success can be attributed to Swys. Lets see how things pan out next year, but I don't think it is time to jump ship just yet. 
As for Matfield, he was a good player early in his career, but later on he became a one trick pony. Also, he very much overstayed his welcome. Especially after 2009/2010 he was more of a liability than anything else. Never my favourite player, but he was the line-out master. 

 
His skill in the line-out is well known. Stealing the opposition's ball was a speciality of his. Mostert who's done well in that department this year will no doubt pick up a few good pointers from him and enhance his skills further.

To make a bad decision is one thing ... but to make a series of bad decisions one after the other is how things go pear shaped and so far it's all I've seen coming from the Lions camp.

I won't be jumping ship any day soon, BlueBok. Just a little concerned, that's all ... and yes, you are right, Swys made a big difference as our backline / attacking coach ... as an assistent that is. We'll see how he goes as head coach.



 



 

Pollard nails every kick in a WC semi final....creates the breaks that beat NZ in the RC....comes back from near death. Maakniks misses a kick in front of the poles in a CC decider along with several other kicks. And Maakniks is preferred because he is a good kicker. You couldn't make this stuff up.