Blue Bulls
| Bull | |
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Blue Bulls |
| Colours | Blue |
| Founded | 1938 |
| Website | bluebulls.co.za |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) | |
| Competition | Currie Cup |
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons named Vodacom Blue Bulls, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. They are governed by the Blue Bulls Rugby Union and are based at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, Gauteng province.
History
The team as we know it today has its beginnings in 1938 when the then Northern Transvaal Rugby Union broke away from the Transvaal Rugby Football Union to gain status as an independent rugby union. The new team were simply named Northern Transvaal and donned light blue jerseys with a red Barberton daisy emblem.
From their first year of existence Northern Transvaal were a formidable force in South African rugby, with many Springboks rising through their ranks. During World War II there was no local rugby competitions and they first lifted the Currie Cup only in 1946. Eventually the side was nickamed the Blue Bulls, a name that has stuck with them ever since.
In later years, because of political changes in South Africa, many of the provinces in the country were renamed. As the result the Northern Transvaal Rugby Union became the Blue Bulls Rugby Union, and Northern Transvaal became known only by their original nickname: the Blue Bulls. When Vodacom became the team's biggest sponsor their name was also added: previously the side was sponsored by ExxonMobil and known as the Mobil Blue Bulls.
Championships
The Blue Bulls / Northern Transvaal have won the Currie Cup in the following years: 1946, 1956, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1988, 1991, 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2004. They also shared the trophy with Transvaal in 1971, and Western Province in 1979 and 1989.
Rivalry with Western Province
Through the years the rivalry between the Blue Bulls and Western Province has become legendary, and a clash between these two sides is always a showcase event in the tournament.
Famous players
Famous players that formerly played for Northern Transvaal or the Blue Bulls include Danie Craven, Naas Botha, Frik du Preez, Joost van der Westhuizen and Uli Schmidt. Current Blue Bulls include Victor Matfield, Derick Hougaard, Bakkies Botha, and Bryan Habana.