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Springbok veteran missing again as Bulls name team for Currie Cup opener

(Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

Veteran Springbok Morne Steyn is missing once again from the Vodacom Bulls line-up, this time for their Carling Currie Cup opener against DHL Western Province at Newlands.

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Steyn, who won a total of 66 Springbok caps, was “rested” for the Bulls’ final Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked match, but misses out on selection once again.

Elsewhere, Johan Grobbelaar makes a return to the Bulls pack and will start at hooker. The recently crowned Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked champions now set their sights on the Carling Currie Cup which the Pretoria franchise last won in 2009, and they will be determined to bag a full house of points in what marks DHL Newlands swansong season.

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Foster on his team changes for Argentina II

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Foster on his team changes for Argentina II

Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White has tweaked his match day squad with the inclusion of Grobbelaar while Chris Smith retains the no.10 jersey after an impressive showing last week.

The rest of the starting line-up remains unchanged.

Amongst the replacements, Corniel Els shifts to the bench and will provide cover at hooker while Clinton Swart retains the number 22 jersey.

“We achieved our first goal of the post-pandemic season and now we shift our focus to securing the Currie Cup with a massive target on our backs,” explained White.

“There are a few teams that can travel to Newlands as favourites, which makes our job harder. Couple that with the fact that Western Province are always a difficult team to face, home or away, and fans can expect a true old school North-South Derby” he added.
Kick-off is 19:00.

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Vodacom Bulls: 15. David Kriel, 14. Travis Ismaiel, 13. Stedman Gans, 12. Cornal Hendricks, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10. Chris Smith, 9. Ivan van Zyl, 8. Duane Vermeulen (c), 7. Arno Botha, 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Walt Steenkamp, 3. Trevor Nyakane, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 1. Jacques van Rooyen.

Replacements: 16. Corniel Els, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Marcel van der Merwe, 19. Sintu Manjezi, 20. Nizaam Carr, 21. Embrose Papier, 22. Clinton Swart, 23. Marco Jansen van Vuren.

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G
GS 36 minutes ago
Bundee Aki sends new reminder to All Blacks he's the one that got away

Interestingly, your dishonesty in not being truthful reflects on you. As explained to you and probably by many other people in the past, NZ is a multi-cultural country with a large percentage of the population being of Polynesian heritage.


Let me share a personal story that illustrates this. My cousin, a good Kiwi girl, fell in love and married a Samoan over 40 years ago. They started a family, and now their daughter is about to start her own.


Now, when the child is older, he/she can choose to play for ABs or Samoa—ABs via birth and Samoa via Grandparents. It is probably very likely, as the husband is a former AB, so a professional rugby career is a distinct possibility.


If he plays for ABs - given your state of mind, NZ has stolen him from Samoa...


There is natural immigration between NZ and the Islands. They are part of our community, and kids do come down on rugby scholarships to learn rugby and get an education.


On the other hand, Ireland specifically targeted adult professional rugby players, who they termed "project players," to cap them for Ireland. Among those numbers are people like Jarrod Payne, Aki, Lowe, CJ Stander, etc.


This "project "was run and funded by the IRFU to directly assist the Irish rugby team in addressing depth issues.


20% of the Irish run on team vs NZ at the WC, were in effect "project players" - maybe Jamieson GP is little different as don't think he was deliberately targeted unlike Aki/Lowe.


That you can honestly compare natural immigration between Islands and the Pacific, where the cultural makeup is similar vs. a targeted project set up by the IRFU, shows just how inherently dishonest you are.


The foolish thing about it is it embarrasses the Irish team when it's not necessary. As shown by the last test against the Boks, Ireland didn't need these project players to win, as they are a quality side without those players.


Instead, all they have done is give people the ability to detract from any achievements by pointing out the Irish brought their way to success.

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