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.
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.
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, when they beat the Western Province 11 points to nine at home at Loftus Versfeld. Six members of the 1946 side would go onto become Springboks; Hannes Brewis, Fonnie du Toit, Jorrie Jordaan, Flip Geel, Fiks van der Merwe, Louis Strydom and Daan Retief.
Northern Transvaal next appeared in the Currie Cup final for the 1954 season, again meeting rivals Western Provine, though unlike their previous encounter of 1946, the Western Province won the match, 11 to eight, which was played at Newlands. Northern Transvaal made it to the final of the Currie Cup again, less than two seasons following their 1954 defeat, meeting the Natal Sharks at Kings Park Stadium in Durban, which Northern Transvaal won by just one point, with the final score being nine to eight, which saw the Northern Transvaal capture their second Currie Cup title. Northern Transvaal would not feature in another Currie Cup final for over a decade, until the 1968 season, were they met Transvaal, defeating them 16 to three at home. Ten of the players from the 1968 side went onto become Springboks. Northern Transvaal did not slow down the following season either, beating the Western Province 28 to 13 in the subsequent season's final. The two Currie Cup wins of the late 1960s led the way for a golden era of Northern Transvaal rugby.
After the 1969 win over rivals Western Province, the Northern Transvaal went onto to feature in a third successive Currie Cup final, though they were not as successful as they were in 1968 and 69, going down to Griqualand West 11 points to nine in the 1970 season decider. Though they did not win the title, Northern Transvaal made it to the final of the 1971 Currie Cup, going undefeated throughout the season, though they did not win the match, instead, drawing it, 14 points all at Ellis Park. After four consecutive Currie Cup finals apperances, the streak ended in the 1972 season. However, the following season, 1973, Northern Transvaal were back in the picture, and defeated the Orange Free State 30 points to 22. This was the first of five Currie Cup wins out of six seasons; the 1973 win was followed by the 17 to 15 win over Transvaal in 1974; the 12 to six win over the Orange Free State, as well as the two subsequent Currrie Cup final victories, both over the Orange Free State, in 1977 and 1978. Northern Transvaal ensured that the only finals they did not contest in the 1970s were in 1972 and 1975, by making it to the 1979 final, though they were defeated by old rivals, the Western Province.
The 1980s, was arguably just as succesful for Northern Transvaal as 1970s was for the team. The decade kicked off with a 1980 Currie Cup title; with Northern Transvaal, led by Naas Botha, defeated the Western Province by thirty points in front of a home crowd. They defeated the Orange Free State the following year to claim the 1981 season as well. Northern Transvaal featured in the 1982,84 and 85, going down to the Western Province on all occasions. However after three final defeats, Northern Transvaal backed up with three final victories to see out the 1980s, defeating Transvaal in the 1987 final, and then beating the Western Province in the 1988 and 1989 finals. The 1990s saw a successful start for Northern Transvaal, making it to the final of the 1990 season to defend their Currie Cup title. They however went down to the Sharks 18 points to 12. The two sides faced off again in the following season decider, which saw Northern Transvaal come out on top, winning 27 to 15. Northern Transvaal, or the Blue Bulls made only one other apperace during the 1990s, at the 1998 Currie Cup final, where they, thought to be underdogs, defeated the Western Province 24 to 20 at home.
The next time the Blue Bulls would be contesting a Currie Cup final would be in 2002, where they defeated the Golden Lions 31 to seven at Ellis Park. They backed this up the following season, defeating the Natal Sharks 40 to 19 in the final. The Blue Bulls made it three titles in a row following their 200 victory over the Free State Cheetahs in the final. The Blue Bulls, on their way to five titles in a row, were stopped by the Free State Cheetahs in 2005, who won 42 to 33. After round two of the 2006 Currie Cup, coach Heyneke Meyer will be stepping down following the match against the Golden Lions at Ellis Park. It was confirmed prior to round two, and said that Meye wishes to focus more on the Super 14. Pote Human will then takeover, being one of Meyer's assistants as well as a former Eastern Province and Free State loose forward.
Location
The Blue Bulls represent the Limpopo province, the northernmost province in South Africa, as well as part of the Gauteng province, drawing all their players from these two areas. The Blue Bulls play all of their home matches in Pretoria, in Gauteng. The number of players that have gone on to represent the national team, the Springboks, has led to the nickname, the Blue Bulls Bok factory, in reference to the quality of players that have been produced from within the represented areas.
Stadium
The home ground of the Blue Bulls is the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, which was first ysed for sports in 1906, when the side was known as the Eastern Sports Ground. The stadium was later renamed after Mr Robert Owen Loftus Versfeld, the founder of organised sports in Pretoria, and dedicated many years of his life to rugby union. The stadium at its current configuration has a 50,000 all-seater capacity, and is shared with the Bulls. The stadium is expected to receive minor upgrades in the near future as it will be hosting matches at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
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. The first time that the two sides met in an actual Currie Cup final was in 1946, which was also, Northern Transvaal's first final contest. The match was played at Northern Transvaal's home ground at Loftus Versfeld, and saw the Western Province go down 11 to nine. After meeting in numerous other finals following 1946, it would not be until the 1979 season, when the Western Province would defeat Northern Transvaal in a Currie Cup final. Northern Transvaal then defeated them in the subsequent final. In the 1980s the two sides met in five Currie Cup finals, with the Western Provinve winning three of them. The most recent Currie Cup season when the two sides both made it to the final was that of the 1998 season, when the Blue Bulls won by four points, winning 24 to 20 at Loftus Versfeld.
Current squad
Finals results
Currie Cup
Notes
1 Northern Transvaal were renamed the Blue Bulls.
2 Transvaal were renamed the Golden Lions.
3 Orange Free State were renamed the Free State Cheetahs.
Notable players
100 caps or more
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Springboks
Records and statistics
Match
- Biggest victory
- 147-8 (vs. SSWD, 1996)
- Heaviest defeat
- 13-57 (vs Transvaal, 1994)
- Highest score
- 147 (vs. South Western Districts, 1996)
- Most points conceded
- 64 (vs. Wellington Hurricanes, 1997)
- Most tries
- 23 (vs. South Western Districts, 1996)
- Most points by a player
- 40 (Casper Steyn vs SWD Eagles, 2000)
- Most tries by a player
- 7 (Jacques Olivier vs SWD, 1996)
- Most conversions by a player
- 14 (Lance Sherrell vs SWD, 1996)
- Most penalties by a player
- 9 (Jannie Kruger vs WP, 1996)
- *9 (Derick Hougaard vs WP, 2002)
- Most drop goals by a player
- 5 (Naas Botha vs Natal, 1992)
Season
- Most points
- 1193 (in 28 matches, 1996)
- Most Currie Cup points
- 783 (in 13 matches, 1997)
- Most points by a player
- 361 (Casper Steyn, 1999)
- Most Currie Cup points by a player
- 268 (Johan Heunis, 1989)
- Most tries
- 140 (in 28 matches, 2003)
- Most tries by a player
- 25 (Pierre Spies, 1975)
- Most Currie Cup tries by a player
- 18 (Ettienne Botha 2004)
Career
- Most appearances
- 184 (Burger Geldenhuys, 1977-1989)