1
Jannes Kirsten named for Bulls debut 11 months after Exeter exit
Back row Jannes Kirsten is finally poised to make his long-awaited debut for the Bulls following his signing last year from Exeter.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 30-year-old, who notched a Heineken Champions Cup/Gallagher Premiership double in his first season in England in 2019/20, decided to return to Pretoria on a three-year deal following his last Chiefs appearance versus London Irish in May.
However, he was injured nearing the end of pre-season training in South Africa and will only now make his second-stint debut for the club when they host the Ospreys on Saturday in the United Rugby Championship.
Kirsten, who has been named on Jake White’s bench, told RugbyPass earlier in April about his lengthy lay-off. “I started at the Bulls last July, did pre-season, everything went well and then when we were doing some mauling, I picked up a nasty foot injury,” explained the flame-haired back-rower.
“I had to get surgery to get it fixed and have been in rehab since. It’s almost six months now. Initially, it was a six-month injury. I tried to play earlier but the time is somewhere in April now and hopefully, I will be back playing.
“It’s a Lisfranc injury to my right foot. It keeps the bridge of your foot like that (he uses his hand to demonstrate). It’s a ligament and I tore it and they had to do a little bit of work on it.
“I had a similar something in 2018 and that was also quite a few months, but this is my longest layoff. I’m keen to play any rugby now. It’s been a while.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Looking forward to Kirsten’s debut, director of rugby White said: “He is one of those guys who has won the European Cup and the English Premiership and there aren’t many guys who have done that.
“So, he brings to the team, at the back end of a competition where it is now like knockout rugby, an incredible amount of knowledge, understanding and calmness.
“He is another guy who might not be captain but definitely has some leadership qualities to help the youngsters on the field as well. He is a very detailed guy and incredibly bright.
“I can only think for the youngsters that if he can instil what he knows and what he has learned then he is already then he will already have had an impact even off the field.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Kirsten will provide back-up to a starting team that will be skippered by Elrigh Louw. The Bulls are currently in fourth place with four rounds of matches remaining before the quarter-finals.
“We still have our destiny in our own hands, we still have three games at home until the end of this campaign,” White added.
"Rob didn't ask much about rugby, it was more about you as a person…"
– @BlueBullsRugby' Jannes Kirsten, with Liam Heagney ??? , reflects on his 4?? years at Exeter, including their 2020 Premiership and Champions Cup double. #NORvBUL #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/JYZavzd2tn
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 12, 2024
“Every game has to be like a final in a competition that is as competitive as this league where everyone is still in it with a chance.
“There are so many permutations that can happen and while we can control winning at Loftus and still have a chance of getting the final game, then we still have our destiny in our own control and that is important.”
VODACOM BULLS (vs Ospreys, Saturday): 15. Willie Le Roux; 14. Canan Moodie, 13. David Kriel, 12. Harold Vorster, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse; 10. Chris Smith, 9. Embrose Papier; 1. Gerhard Steenekamp, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Ruan Vermaak, 5. Reinhardt Ludwig, 6. Nizaam Carr, 7. Elrigh Louw (capt) 8. Cameron Hanekom. Reps: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Simphiwe Matanzima, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Janko Swanepoel, 20. Jannes Kirsten, 21. Zak Burger, 22. Jaco van der Valt, 23. Devon Williams.
Comments on RugbyPass
RIP big man 🙏
1 Go to commentsThe GB coach. “Just because we don’t get together as much as other teams we don’t use that as an excuse for performances when we don’t hit the mark”. Why mention it at all then?
1 Go to commentsNo mention of the yellow card for Harlequins which really cost them.
3 Go to commentsThought you’d left us Nick. Good to have you back writing for us. So hunter ikitau works? I reckon wright kellaway as two of the back 3. Tim Ryan and Toole looking good for strike winger but I still want the power of korobeiti and figure our forwards still need him to help them out. Million dollar question is who plays 10? I’m thinking Noah for his kicking and combo with wright. Reckon the pair adds up to an attack and kellaway will help. Can you comment on Zac Lucas in Japan? How is he going?
1 Go to commentsMack Hansen, Ethan Roots, Taine Plumbtree, Louis Lynagh, Emmanuel Meafou? Which country do you want to pick your Barbarians from?
3 Go to commentsInstead of apologising, try to act like an adult, fcknut.
3 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
5 Go to commentsScotland should change their name to the Barbarians
3 Go to commentsThe game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
3 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
8 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
3 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
3 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
3 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
5 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
5 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
5 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
16 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
16 Go to comments