In a move that screams 'desperate times call for desperate measures', the Vodacom Bulls have roped in assistant coach Josh Strauss to wear the player's jersey for their upcoming Currie Cup showdown against the Griquas in Kimberley. Yes, you read that right — the coach is suiting up! Tucked away on the bench, Strauss, a former Lions and Scotland bruiser, is set to cover any lock emergencies after a flurry of injuries, URC commitments, and junior squad call-ups have left the Bulls scrambling.
This isn’t just a quirky rugby tale; it’s a testament to the Bulls’ current predicament. They’ve had to overhaul their lineup, making a whopping 12 changes from the team that faced a defeat against Boland last weekend. The injury bug has bitten hard, and with the URC and junior squad demands pulling players in different directions, coach Phiwe Nomlomo's selection options are wearing thin.
"He’s very exciting and gets his first start at Currie Cup level,"
Nomlomo said about 19-year-old hooker Esethu Mnebelele, who steps up from the bench to start. The young gun, a former SA Schools captain and Junior Springbok, has been turning heads in training and now gets his chance to shine on the bigger stage.
The ripple effect of the Bulls' availability crisis doesn’t stop at Strauss. In the pack, Sintu Manjezi shifts from flank to lock, replacing Jaco Grobbelaar, while Dylan de Leeuw fills in for the injured Marvin Orie. Junior Pokomela and Cheswill Jooste have also been promoted from the bench, taking over at No 7 and right wing, respectively.
The bench itself sees fresh faces with Shaun Schurmann and Simphiwe Matanzima stepping in as front-row reserves. The backline reserves have been bolstered with Liam Koen and PA van Niekerk waiting in the wings, ready to inject some fresh legs into the game.
So, as the Bulls prepare to take the field at the Tuine Grizzlies Rugby Club at 3pm, the lineup reads like a roll call from a rugby triage unit, patched up but ready to rumble. Let’s see if coach-turned-substitute Strauss has to ditch the clipboard for a scrum cap!
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In a move that screams 'desperate times call for desperate measures', the Vodacom Bulls have roped in assistant coach Josh Strauss to wear the player's jersey for their upcoming Currie Cup showdown against the Griquas in Kimberley. Yes, you read that right — the coach is suiting up! Tucked away on the bench, Strauss, a former Lions and Scotland bruiser, is set to cover any lock emergencies after a flurry of injuries, URC commitments, and junior squad call-ups have left the Bulls scrambling.
This isn’t just a quirky rugby tale; it’s a testament to the Bulls’ current predicament. They’ve had to overhaul their lineup, making a whopping 12 changes from the team that faced a defeat against Boland last weekend. The injury bug has bitten hard, and with the URC and junior squad demands pulling players in different directions, coach Phiwe Nomlomo's selection options are wearing thin.
"He’s very exciting and gets his first start at Currie Cup level,"
Nomlomo said about 19-year-old hooker Esethu Mnebelele, who steps up from the bench to start. The young gun, a former SA Schools captain and Junior Springbok, has been turning heads in training and now gets his chance to shine on the bigger stage.
The ripple effect of the Bulls' availability crisis doesn’t stop at Strauss. In the pack, Sintu Manjezi shifts from flank to lock, replacing Jaco Grobbelaar, while Dylan de Leeuw fills in for the injured Marvin Orie. Junior Pokomela and Cheswill Jooste have also been promoted from the bench, taking over at No 7 and right wing, respectively.
The bench itself sees fresh faces with Shaun Schurmann and Simphiwe Matanzima stepping in as front-row reserves. The backline reserves have been bolstered with Liam Koen and PA van Niekerk waiting in the wings, ready to inject some fresh legs into the game.
So, as the Bulls prepare to take the field at the Tuine Grizzlies Rugby Club at 3pm, the lineup reads like a roll call from a rugby triage unit, patched up but ready to rumble. Let’s see if coach-turned-substitute Strauss has to ditch the clipboard for a scrum cap!
BULLS – 15 Stravino Jacobs, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Katlego Letebele, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Zak Burger, 8 JJ Theron, 7 Junior Pokomela, 6 Nama Xaba (c), 5 Dylan de Leeuw, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Jean Erasmus, 2 Esethu Mnebelele, 1 Ruan Swart. Bench: 16 Shaun Schurmann, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Bryan le Roux, 19 Josh Strauss, 20 Marco Ferreira, 21 Brooklyn Newman, 22 Liam Koen, 23 PA van Niekerk.