Download - Vodacom Blue Bulls April

Gauteng (Sesotho for "place of gold") is South Africa's smallest province (17 000 square kilometres) and it includes most of the towns strung east to west along the gold reef, from Springs in the far East Rand to Randfontein in the west. It runs down to the Vaal River in the South, and just beyond South Africa's capital, Pretoria, in the north.

For more information visit Gauteng Tourism Authoritywww.gauteng.net

East Rand to Randfontein in the west. It runs down to the Vaal River in the South, and just beyond South Africa's capital, Pretoria, in the

For more information visit Gauteng Tourism Authority

Johannesburg

ROSEBANK

SANDTON

Newtown Cultural Precinct

Constitution Hill

Nelson Mandela Bridge

Standard Bank Art Gallery

First National Bank

Boston

Joburg Theatre Complex

Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg

Academic Hospital

Summer Place

Illovo Blvd

Thrupps Centre

Wits Medical School

AbsaBankReef

Hotel

KillarneyMall

Brightwater Commons

Consumer Goods Council

MultiChoiceRandburg

Pick n Pay on Nicol

Sandton Sports Club

Montecasino Palazzo Circle

Epsom Downs

Nicolway

Parc Nicol

Design Quarter

Bryanston Crescent

Bryanston Centre

Grosvenor Crossing

SARS

Rosebank Mall

HydeSquare

HydePark

Dunkeld Centre

Melrose Place

Bidvest Wanderers Stadium

Protea Hotel Wanderers

Atholl Oaklands

Melrose Arch

J1: ParktownJ2: CBD

Park Station Bus Routes

Getting to your destination has never been easier. Gautrain will help you plan your route, assist you with bus and shuttle services as well as assist you with calculating the time and cost of visiting your destination. Finding an event, place or attraction to attend or visit makes travelling a comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Log onto www.gautrain.co.za for more information.

A valid Gold Card is required to board a Gautrain bus. This can be purchased at the stations and at selected retail outlets.

Download the Gautrain App to plan your trip accordingly.

• For detailed and accurate bus route maps enquire at the stations or visit the website.• Bus tickets cannot be purchased on the buses.• To find out where a bus is, please dial 010 223 1098.

PARK STATION

4 MINUTES

4 MINUTES

PRASA/METRORAIL

RB5: KillarneyRB2: MelroseRB3: IllovoRB4: Hyde Park

Rosebank Station Bus Routes

Shuttle Service on Public Holidays

Parktown

Coca-Cola Park Stadium is situatedin Johannesburg.

Shuttle Services Available.

• From Marlboro to Linbro Park and Woodlands in Woodmead. • Weekend Shuttle to Montecasino from Sandton Station.

College of Digital

Photography

Departs Park Station. All Day – Every Day.www.citysightseeing.co.za

Ekurhuleni

Tshwane 3520

| iw

w |

ew

MARLBORO

RHODESFIELD

SANDTON

OR TAMBO

Chilli LaneShopping

Centre

EskomMegawatt

Park

GallagherConvention

Centre

Civic Centre

Arwyp Medical Centre

PremierHotel

OR Tambo

Unisa SBLMain

Entrance

Cavendish Glen

SunninghillHospital

Waterfall Hospital

Town Lodge

BouldersShopping

Centre

Vodaworld

Spar Protea Hotel

AfricanBank

Central Park

Tilbury Business Park

SandtonCity

River Club Park

Sandton Racquets

Club

BenmoreShopping

Centre

IDCSandton Hilton

Southern Sun

Sinosteel

Garden Court Morningside

MorningsideShopping Centre

WedgeNandoʼs

Rivonia Boulevard

RivoniaCentre

Westford Hotel

Atholl Square

Grayston Ridge

Office Park

Mushroom Farm Park

Barlow Park

Meadowfields

Morning Glen Mall

Innisfree Park

S2: Gallo ManorS3: RivoniaS4: RandburgS5: Fourways

Sandton Station Bus Routes

ProteaHotel

OR Tambo

WoodbridgeSquare

Glen Balad MallLinbro Business

Park Shuttle Service

M1: RandjesparkM2: NoordwykM3: Sunninghill

Midrand Bus Routes

RF1: Kempton Park

Rhodes�eldBus Routes

Tuks Sports Campus

Queenswood Christian College

OR Tambo Building

University of Pretoria

Loftus Rugby Stadium Cherry Lane

Shopping Centre

World Bank

Xcelpark

Checkers LynnwoodMenlyn

Park Shopping

PretoriaCountry

Club

SpanishEmbassy

St. Maryʼs School

Royal Thai Embassy

Sunnyside Centre

Heart Hospital

Sheraton Hotel Pretoria

Technical High

Curves Brooklyn

Voortrekker Monument

Private Nature Reserve

Little Company of Mary Hospital

University of Pretoria Groenkloof

Campus

Freedom Park

CSIR

City Hall

Church Square

State TheatreNational

Zoo

Louis Pasteur Hospital

P3: PretoriaP4: PTA Unisa - Groenkloof

PretoriaBus Routes

SABSHarlequins Office Park

H1: BrooklynH2: LynnwoodH3: ArcadiaH5: MenlynH6: Queenswood

Hat�eldBus Routes

HighveldShopping

Centre

CenturionLifestyle Centre

CenturionStation

Southdowns College

Centurion Golf Estate

Centurion Licensing Services

Eco Park Estate

Wierdaglen Estate

Supersport Park

Byles Bridge

Love More Centre

Eco Boulevard

Raslouw Value Centre

Amberfield Estate

Spar

Value WorldCenturion

Sax Arena

C1: Techno ParkC2: RooihuiskraalC3: Wierda ParkC4: Southdowns

CenturionBus Routes

Nizamiye Turkish Masjid along the Midrand train route.

Kelvin Power

The Freedom Park and the Voortrekker Monument

Visit Auto & General Theatre on the Square at Nelson Mandela Square.

Joburg Water Tower

OR TAMBO TO SANDTON STATION =15 MINUTES

MIDRAND

CENTURION

PRETORIA HATFIELD

4 MINUTES

6 M

INUTE

S

9 M

INU

TES

8 M

INU

TES

7 MINUTES

The underground tunnel section from Park Station to Marlboro Portal is a total length of 15.5 kilometres.

LEGEND

North-South Commuter

East-West Commuter

Airport

PRASA / Metrorail

EAST-WEST COMMUTER

EAST-WEST COMMUTER

AIRPORT

AIRPORT

PRAS

A/M

ETRO

RAIL

PRASA/METRORAIL

The first two rail cars are for airport passengers. These cars have wider seats with special areas for baggage storage.

The Union Buildings have lovely gardens that surrounds the new Nelson Mandela Statue.

OR Tambo International Airport, the busiest airport in Africa, forms the centre of a multi-nodal, multi- functional enterprise with major commercial development in Ekurhuleni and is known as South Africa’s Aerotropolis.

Download the Gautrain Apps, available on:• App Store• Google Play• App World

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the attractions indicated along the illustrated route map may not be along the route of the Gautrain services. Certain attractions can be seen from the Gautrain but may need other public transport modes to get there. Direct enquiries for more information about places and attractions may be obtained from Gauteng Tourism Authority. The illustrated route map is not to scale. The illustrated information published was last updated on 30 January 2015.

RF2: Emperors Palace

PRASA/METRORAIL

UNISA

OR TAMBO TO SANDTON STATION =15 MINUTES

Emperors Palace

Woodlands Business Office Park Shuttle

Service

Manhattan Hotel

Remember to visit Pretoria State Theatre.

Garden Court

Garden Court

Waterkloof Airforce Base

Protea Hotel

Emperors Palace

Grand Central Airport

Toyota

Momentum

Take Metrorail from Park Station to FNB Stadium.

Centurion Lake

Protea Hotel

Waterfront

Monuments / Heritage sitesclose to routes

SMS “Alert” to 32693 for service updates

Modderfontein Nature Reserve

Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel

Brooklyn Mall

Liliesleaf

A&G Theatre on the Square

4 www.thebulls.co.za

CONTENTS68

08 18 20PUBLISHER/EDITOR07

PIET van zyL08

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RUGBy’S faSHIOn EvOLUTIOn

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mEDIHELP InjURy REPORT

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fROm THE cEnTRE30

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amaTEUR SIDE -DR. EUGEnE HaRE

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10THE mIDfIELD

mInEfIELD

By Shanil Mangaoo

I was handed this feature with the promise that I will be working with a hot little German model…”and she’s new on the scene”, they said. So having been served at a few German Beer festivals over the years, it’s needless to say that my excitement was a little above average.

I walked to the parking lot, and at first glance I was certainly not disappointed. There she stood, awkwardly tall but proud, with a few fascinating curves and contours. Curves that I have never seen before… “Different’” I thought, “but amazingly intriguing.”

The Opel Mokka, is no doubt a uniquely sexy

looking compact SUV. At the front end, the Mokka gives a strong sophisticated look with the signature LED lights. Couple this with the Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL+) and you are getting the appeal with the safety.

On the inside the Mokka is an extremely pleasant place to be. But that’s no surprise; one has come to expect this high level of quality from the Germans.The cockpit is well thought out with controls that don’t need a 400 page manual to be read before operation.

There are few things more appealing than a hot German model with the intellect to match. The Mokka holds its own in terms of connectivity as well. The App-ready IntelliLink

system links to your smartphone to provide you with the full ‘infotainment’ experience, all-coming to life on a 7˝ colour display. A rear camera also comes in handy for those stiff neck or just plain lazy reversing moments.

Another rather simple but well thought out design attribute is the abundance of little storage compartments… so much so, that you could actually unintentionally start to lose stuff while in safe keeping (if that makes any sense).

The hand brake, rather than the normal straight lever wedged into the gap between the two seats, also now becomes a designer accessory. The uniquely ‘Z’ shaped safety device looks like something straight out of a science fiction movie, and no, not the adult version. This device is flanked on either side and at the rear by subtle black leather seats finished with a feisty red stitch.

With regards to these German models, it certainly gets a little steamier when you run your hands over and along the sturdy warm curves of… Yes, you guessed it, the heated steering wheel. Now that’s a feature I could come to grips with.

The ‘Opel Eye’, as it’s rather aptly referred to, situated in the socket of the interior mirror sparks a ton of safety features. While the already efficient 1,4l turbo charged engine is further enhanced by Stop-Start technology, the all wheel drive suspension seems perfectly paired with the 103KW produced by the petrol version.Starting from just R288 000 this is undoubtedly one of the best value for money compact SUVs currently on the market.

With a host of fascinating features and oddly desirable looks the Opel Mokka can certainly hold it’s head high among the other models in this well established German family.

...German hotties

McCarthy GM Menlyn, Hatfield and Silverton. 1185 Francis Baard St, Hatfield. www.mccarthygm.co.za • Phone Number: (012) 432 6900

www.thebulls.co.za 7

publisher/editor

social media

PUBLISHERS: BLUE BULLS COMPANY (Pty) LtdShanil MangarooManaging Editor: Wim van der Berg

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Apple Undo

ADVERTISING SALES: Eben Venter

cell: 082 780 6674

P.O.Box 27856, Sunnyside, 0132tel: 012 420 0700

e-mail: [email protected]

JOURNALISTS: Dan Lombard, Adriaan Scheepers,

Murray Marais, Khomu Mekgwe, Lee-Anne Diab

PHOTO’S: Johan Rynners - [email protected]

(BBM)Beeld

TICKET OFFICE: 012 420 0700

WEBSITE: www.thebulls.co.za

Copyright © 2005 Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd. The opinions expressed in the publication are not necessarily those of

the Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Limited.

The Vodacom Bulls are increasingly impressive and the ultimate success of their season will hinge on

the four matches abroad.

Likewise, the Vodacom Blue Bulls are all but assured of a place in the Vodacom Cup quarterfinals.

They now have the luxury of additional players’ talent from the Varsity Cup where UP-Tuks led the

competition virtually throughout before succumbing in the semifinal.

In this issue of BLOU, Bulls centre William Small-Smith has an interesting take on how he approaches

the challenges and hard slog during training, and extrapolates this to the Bulls’ reaching of the halfway

mark of their 2015 Super Rugby campaign.

And then, a little tongue in the cheek but mostly in serious vein, Williams also looks at the fashion evolution in rugby – from the gear to the social

media. He provides interesting insights in how the players approach it differently and even compares it with days gone by, before twitter when black boots

were non-negotiable!

Lee-Anne Diab, sports scientist at the Bulls and Blue Bulls, introduces herself and gives us an initial glimpse of how scientific sports training has become. This is her first article in a series that promises to be very interesting and quite

enlightening.

Murray Marais shares his views on the centreposition for the World Cup. He calls it The midfield

minefield as he juggles the various contenders’ chances of making it to the World Cup in September.

editor/publisher

https://www.facebook.com/BullsOfficial

https://twitter.com/BlueBullsRugby

bluebullstv.mobi

RUGBy aT LOfTUS IS LOOkInG UP!


by khumo mekgwe

IT just might be that his greatest rugby story starts with “there was this concert once…” Either way, it’s how it began for Springbok and Vodacom Bulls scrumhalf Piet van Zyl.

A costume concert party is what began what we saw on January 24. In the second half of the (warm-up) game against his former team mates the Cheetahs, Van Zyl comes off the bench after an injury lay-off and returns home with two tries and a philosophy that rugby is a week by week sport.

A familiar face on the field, but still introducing himself publicly as a maize, cattle and soy beans farmer, Van Zyl explains that he farms on his off days and conveniently enjoys outdoor activities. “Just don’t take me to the mall,” he says.

It’s become a highly intense question to ask a player about making the cut for the Springboks’ World Cup campaign, but there’s none of that with Van Zyl. His realistic view on the process and philosophy have set him

at ease.

“I just want to enjoy my rugby right now,” explains van Zyl. It’s what his recent 50 Super Rugby caps have taught him: that every week is different, that patience is needed and that some things are out of your control.

Nonetheless, the Springbok call-up call will not be new to him. His first was a midnight call while visiting a friend in Paarl, and a rush to the airport to make his debut against Scotland in Nelspruit, a place that will always have a special place in his heart.

Van Zyl explains that that is what he loves most about rugby, meeting new people and traveling.With the arrival at the Bulls of former Cheetahs team mates Adriaan Strauss and Trevor Nyakane, Van Zyl jokingly says that he now needs to be called ‘senior’ by them.

It’s clear to see that van Zyl is a laid back guy that shows no evidence of his potency on the field. The last guy to leave the braai, but the first to dedicate his heart to the code.


by murray marais

For many years past the impossible question for any Springbok coach has been which loose forwards to leave out of his squad, and so it will remain for many years to come because of South Africa’s depth over many decades.

Of course, this is not always the case with other positions/combinations on the rugby field. But one has to feel for Heyneke Meyer and the other Springbok selectors in choosing the centres for Rugby World Cup 2015.

Of course, whatever they do and whoever they select, they will be criticised. It remains impossible to please everyone.

A number of players are and have been in the running, while, as usually happens in a World Cup year, some new faces emerge that really push the exciting order. Just think of Jesse Kriel’s emergence, or even for that matter, the Burger Odendaal show.

Both are still young and their time will come, but there are others who are doing the same.

Let’s get the white elephants out of the

The midfieldminefield


room first, before we discuss our possible midfielder selections.

Frans Steyn and Jean de Villiers should be shoo-ins for any Rugby World Cup squad.But as we know, Steyn had his run-in with Saru and decided, despite the efforts of Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, to turn his back on the team. He is unlikely to return, but nothing is impossible in this game of ours.

De Villiers is hard at work to regain fitness and to return to the field any time before the shortened Rugby Championship. As much as we are all rooting for our national captain to return to the playing field, it will be touch and go for him to make it to the playing field in time for the world showpiece.

It would not be ideal for him to ‘play’ himself fit in World Cup matches against Japan and the USA, but it might just as well pan out that way.

So, for now, let us leave Steyn out of it and take De Villiers along, even if he has yet to prove his fitness.

This will leave us with three other centres to pick for the tournament.

Let’s look at the incumbents.

Jan Serfontein played outside centre next to De Villiers for most of the year and kept on improving. The 22-year-old was always going to become better and better in his career and he does not disappoint.

There are critics who say that the Vodacom Bulls style of play inhibits Serfontein’s natural attacking flair. There is some merit in that, one can argue.

Fact is that Serfontein has become a bit like former outside centre Jaque Fourie, with sniping breaks (remember Cape Town against the Wallabies), an added bonus to a

brilliant defence.

Serfontein was among the best defenders for the national team in 2014 and can be expected to be a big player for the Springboks this year.

His attacking prowess is well known. Serfontein was not likened to Danie Gerber for nothing. He has some of the deftest feet and handling skills in the country and hopefully we will see all of that this year, especially in England.

Damian de Allende and JP Pietersen are both playing well, but not really grabbing the opportunity. Pietersen obviously is also seen as a wing, but I will not be surprised if we see a Serfontein/Pietersen combination in the opening tests with Serfontein playing on the inside, his favourite and natural position.

De Allende is having a great Vodacom Super Rugby season. He is currently leading the


stats for defenders beaten, a testimony of his strong, direct style.

One can argue that 2014 was his opportunity to find his feet at test match level and that he will be more effective in 2015. Looking at his current form, it is fair to say that he has grown since that experience and we are now seeing the improvement.

Two other Springboks looking in are JJ Engelbrecht and Juan de Jongh.

Engelbrecht has been consistent for the Vodacom Bulls in 2014. He is slowly but surely regaining the form that made him a regular Springbok starter at outside centre in 2013.

He looked out of sorts in 2014 and certainly frustrated fans in the early stages of the current Super Rugby season, but coach Frans Ludeke’s decision to stick with Engelbrecht is finally bearing fruit.

With the emergence of a fit-again Odendaal, Ludeke can contemplate moving Serfontein to 13, which could result in Engelbrecht being moved elsewhere, but let us not cross that bridge right now.

De Jongh of course has long been painted by the Cape media as the ‘victim’ of Meyer’s pre-occupation with size, and to be fair to the nimble Stormers player, he has been knocking on the door for a while.

He does pose a threat on attack with his illusive running and his defence is certainly good enough. He did travel to New Zealand in the 2011 RWC and has the experience, so it will not be a total surprise if he makes the grade when Meyer finally selects his 31.

It will be interesting to see how Meyer goes about in selecting his backs. Handré Pollard’s ability to play inside centre (and Pat Lambie’s, for that matter) and JP Pietersen’s ability to play in the midfield might result in

only three centres being named, but that will undoubtedly depend on the form and fitness of De Villiers.

So we have De Villiers, Serfontein and De Allende as certainties, with De Jongh/Steyn/Engelbrecht/Pietersen as the other option?

Anyone outside this group will really have to start delivering the goods in the next few weeks. Given Meyer’s preference to these players mentioned, it is hard to see anyone else taking the gap to get onto the RWC bus.


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By Shanil Mangaoo













...German hotties




Rugby’s fashion

evolutionby William Small-Smith

IF the great Frik du Preez had run out at Loftus Versfeld in the 1960s wearing a pair of pink rugby boots, hair hanging on his shoulders and covered in tattoos, I’m sure a fair number of supporters would have had a heart attack!

Today it seems the brighter the better.Fashion statements, unique abilities and trademark skills have hit the rugby field by storm. Crowds cheer when a try is scored and the try scorer celebrates in a unique way, while in the olden days one could almost not even smile after scoring a try or be labelled as arrogant.

Who could forget that first Bok try celebrationdance of Trevor Nyakane at his now home field Loftus ? It must have been replayed five times in the match and a further twenty times in the following weeks, and people loved it. One could see a small piece of Trevor’s soul in that dance and people could relate to it.

Wessel Roux, current Vodacom Bulls scrum coach and ex-Blue Bulls player, recalls a time when all boots were black and the Blue Bulls jerseys were only one shade of blue. “We grew up in a culture where making a daring statement, for example celebrating after scoring a try or highlighting your hair, was deemed inappropriate.”

In contrast today we expect a swan-dive,

backflip or boxing combination from the try scorer after he has cleared his mullet, mohawk or Geo Cronje beard from his face. Geo was known for his beard, just as Francois Hougaard is known for his tattoos, Jacques du Plessis for his long blond hair and Pierre Spies for his armguard.

All of these started as physical attributes or accessories but ended up as a way in which the players are recognised.

Could the trend of brighter, bigger and louder be the consequence of the crowds’ growing expectation to be entertained? The crowds fill the stadium, buy the merchandise and absolutely worship the players. Therefore, by creating an attribute that everybody remembers and enjoys, the players are actually building their brand and encouraging the crowd to come back the following weekend.

Breyton Paulse did a backflip every time after he scored a try for the Springboks. It was his signature move, and people flocked to his matches hoping to witness one.

Clothing lines have picked up on the trend. Adidas’s Copa Mundial football boots were first launched in 1979 and became the world’s best-selling football boot.

Since 1979 the black design did not change until blue, green, red, and green versions


were launched in 2013. The more colourful the boots, the more visible they are to the potential customers, the supporters. Thus all new boots being released now gives one the thought that the printer has ran out of black ink.

Wessel Roux remembers how he would not play in the pink boots that were given to him during his stint in France. “I received a pair of pink boots on my arrival, and at that time coloured boots were just making their appearance.”

“I had no other boots to play with so I tried to colour them in with a black marker, which failed and I was left with a pair of orange camo boots!”

Social media is also a new platform that launched rugby players’ profiles to new heights. Instagram, Facebook and Twitter enable the fans to get glimpses of a rugby player’s everyday life. In a way the fans feel that they have a more personal relationship with a player if they “follow” him on a social media site. Francios Hougaard currently has 131 700 followers on Twitter and he updates his profile about three times a day.

He thereby interacts with so many Vodacom Blue Bulls supporters who then arrive at Loftus expecting to see Hougaard in a pair of boots not yet released in South Africa with his tattooed arms – because those are the attributes unique to Hougaard.

A player who would have loved to play in the new era in which rugby players operate is John Mametsa. John played in more than 100 Currie Cup matches for the Blue Bulls until 2009 and was well known for either his long, braided hair or for a clean shaved head. “I come from a soccer background and in soccer people always celebrate when they score a goal.

“For my first try I ever scored for the Blue Bulls I received a handshake and I thought

my team mates weren’t even pleased I had scored. “Afterwards I learned that we just had a different way of showing our excitement. For soccer players that meant taking off their shirts, and for us it was sprinting back to restart the game to implement more pain on opponents.”

“Today it seems that the guys have a good balance between enjoying the moment and staying focused at the job at hand.

“I wish I could have played in the boots the guys use today, as my then controversial white boots seems old fashion compared to the new boots.

“Some of the boots even seem to be battery powered!”

As the rules of rugby have evolved, so has the sphere in which it takes place. Leather ball, black boots, fist fighting rugby have changed to eye catching “I lost my scissors” hair, bright boots and epic celebrations rugby.

The only constant is change, and while the spirit in which the game is played has not changed, most of the rest has – at least if you look at it through a fashion perspective.

Now who said rugby players can’t be classy?

“ the onlyconstant is change ...”


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Hi there,

My name is Lee-Anne Diab, and I am a sport scientist with the Blue Bulls Rugby Union.

Over the next few issues my aim is to bring you closer to a day in the field of the sport scientist, and to give you the opportunity to see the players being put through their paces.

But for now a little background: I am 26 years old, a small town girl from the “Platteland”, and studied Human Movement Science & Psychology Pre-Graduate and Post Graduate an Honours degree in Sport Science at the University of Potchefstroom.

This is where the journey began and a good foundation was laid. I am currently busy with biokinetics practical hours & research for a Masters degree.

Being a woman in a man’s world, respect is earned and it is important to always be professional in how you go about your work ethics.

Sport runs deep within my veins. My Dad played provincial rugby, Grandad played professional soccer and I played provincial hockey and SA U-21s. However, due to injuries I pursued my

dreams in sport by giving back to those on the field.

The race of endurance began a year ago at the Blue Bulls Rugby Union…

A day in my field as a sport scientist starts off with early morning sessions: energetic, full of highs and lows, and the reward of adrenaline eventually comes when players reach their full potential. This, after all, is what should always be remembered: it’s not about you as the sport scientist, but about the player.

Sport scientists and performance consultants are growing in demand with the ever-increasing focus on achieving the best possible sports results. Researchers have developed a greater understanding on how the human body reacts to exercise, training, training effects, performance analysis, different environments and many other stimuli.

Sport science is performance based, pushing players to their maximum and beyond, making sure that players don’t stagnate or find themselves in a comfort zone, thereby not performing optimally.

At the Blue Bulls the sports scientist works closely with the conditioners and coaches of

SCIENCEGAME

OFTHe


both the junior and senior teams.

The conditioners make use of the VX Sport GPS tracking system that is used to track and monitor athletes physical readiness and fitness during daily/weekly training sessions as well as on the game day; to measure players accelerometers (kilometres), heart rate, work rate and the likes.

This a handy tool to empower the conditioners to not only optimise athletic performance, but also to manage players individually to prevent fatigue, overuse injuries and to keep them on their toes.

At the Bulls we are fortunate to have

Smartabase, a data-capturing program used by various sports teams around the globe.

It is our own personalised site that meets our conditioners and coaches’ needs. Each player has his own profile, and his gym as well as field testing data get loaded onto the system.

The conditioners, coaches and players have access to latest data for each individual.

Until the next issue!

#WomanInAMansWorld#StayTrueToTheBlue


by alita Steenkamp

Vir Wynie Strydom was die skryf van sy boek, Wynie: My Bloed is Blou ’n heerlike herinneringsreis

Vir 459 wedstryde in ’n ry het Wynie Strydom as spanbestuurder van die Bulle week na week op die kantlyn gesit. Wynie het diep spore in Blou Bul-rugby getrap en reeds in 1972, het hy vir Noord-Transvaal B in ’n klubwedstryd op Loftus uitgedraf.

Vroeg in 2014 het Wynie uiteindelik die groen lig gegee dat ons kan begin werk aan sy memoires met die voorwaarde: sy storie moet van heel voor af vertel word. Van daar waar hy as ’n sproetgesig seuntjie, op die dorpie Hendriksdal naby Sabie, pennies op die spoor gesit het om te sien hoe die trein dit plattrap.

“Met die skryf van die boek kon ek vir al die vriende wat oor die jare voetspore in my lewe gelos het, dankie sê. Die boek moes ook die kultuur en tradisies van die Bulle boekstaaf en van die belangrike statistiek wat nêrens anders in ’n boek verskyn nie, kry jy hierin. Ons het ook stories van die spelers en bestuurslede bygemaak en dit word in die boek vertel.

Daardie stories wat altyd om die braaivleisvure vertel word. Op ’n sekere manier was die skryf van die boek vir my ’n goeie manier om my tydperk by die Bulle af te sluit en ’n punt agter die storie te sit.” .

Met die werk aan die boek nou agter die rug, fokus Wynie deesdae baie hard daarop om sy gholfvoorgee te verbeter. Hy lag en sê die skryf van die boek het soms baie sleg met sy gholfsessies ingemeng. Marlene, die spesiale vrou aan Wynie se sy wat vir jare lank vir die Bulle se spelers kos gemaak het in die restaurant by Loftus, het ook nou die leisels oorgegee aan ’n spyseniersmaatskappy. Dit gee nou vir haar en Wynie kans om die land so ’n bietjie plat te ry, en by al die plekkies uit te kom waar hulle nog

nie voorheen was nie.

En wat is Wynie se droom vir die Bulle? “In die verlede is dit bewys dat elke keer wat die Bulle ’n beker gewen het, was dit omdat hulle as ’n span so goed saamgespeel het en vir mekaar omgegee het. Indien daardie spangees en die wil om vir mekaar en vir die afrigter en bestuurspan te wen behoue bly, sal die bekers ook Loftus toe kom.”

Wynie, My Bloed is Blou –Wynie Strydom met alita Steenkamp

Zebra Press ISBN 978-1-77022-770-5Wat kan ’n mens van Wynie: My Bloed is Blou verwag?

In die boek van 255 bladsye gesels Wynie Strydom oor die hoogtepunte, hartseerdae en die suksesse van die Bulle. Hy vat jou saam op sy lewenspad wat maar altyd met rugby vervleg was. • Die boek bevat 20 hoofstukke, ’n voorwoord

deur Heyneke Meyer en 16 bladsye vol foto’s.• Een van die hoofstukke vertel van die

hoogtepunte in baie van die toere wat die Bulle onderneem het.

• Een hoofstuk vertel van al die Bloubul-tradisies en waar dit vandaan gekom het.

• In ’n ander hoofstuk val die klem weer op al die afrigters en kapteins wat in Wynie se dae ’n pad saam met hom gestap het.

• Daar is ’n hoofstuk oor 2007, die jaar toe die Bulle in die laaste minuut die Sharks op Kingspark verslaan het om die eerste Suid-Afrikaanse span te word om die Super 14-trofee in die lug te hou.

• 2009, die gloriejaar van die Bulle, toe die Bulle beide die Super 14 trofee en die Curriebeker in die lug gehou het, is nog ’n hoogtepunt in hierdie boek.

• Lees ook in Hoofstuk 18 van die Bulle se opmars na Orlando. Daar, in Soweto, het hulle die Super 14 trofee vir die derde keer gaan haal.

’n Hart wat altyd Blou sal klop


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vodacom bulls health list

The winter seems to test the endurance of the Vodacom Bulls to the utmost. In the last weeks of May,

the list of players with long-term injuries was joined by Lohan Jacobs. The scrum-half underwent surgery,

but should be back in the team by now.

As you know, Pierre Spies hurt his bicep and will sit out any action for up to nine months, while Arno

Botha will have to sit out up to six months after injuring his knee. Frik Kirsten's neck injury immobilised

him for at least five months. Tian Schoeman is still out of action after injuring his foot, and will have to

watch his teammates play for at least 3 months. He and Jaco Visagie will most probably return to the

team at the same time after Jaco hurt his knee and had to make peace with three months' rest. At their

side will be Deon Stegmann (his groin injury cost him 6 weeks) and Hencus van Wyk (a hurt AC joint

demanded up to three weeks' off).

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The weekly Medihelp report brings the unfortunate news that Vodacom Bulls halfbacks Rudy Paige and Jacques-Louis Potgieter will not be considered for the Vodacom Super Rugby match against the DHL Stormers in Cape Town on April 25.

Paige has a grade 1 medial ligament tear and will be out of action for at least two weeks, whilst Potgieter has a grade 1 hamstring tear and will return to action on May 4th, as confirmed by team doctor Org Strauss.


by William Small-Smith

WHENEVER I do fitness, I break the training up into pieces in my mind.

For example: If I have to do 20 sprints, I’ll take it five at a time, even though I complete all 20 in one set. Somehow I almost trick myself into completing more reps that I thought I could by focussing on smaller pieces of the session.

When I then get to the halfway mark, I suddenly feel better because I know that it’s downhill from here.

Reaching the halfway mark is deemed very important in everyday life. Halfway for an exam means a pass, halfway for golf means the halfway house and halfway of an hour has its own term. The Afrikaans “halfvyf” and the English “half past five” still confuse me. Somehow those two differ by an hour!

The Vodacom Bulls reached the halfway mark of their 2015 campaign following their victory against the Reds at Loftus Versveld. The Bulls comprehensively beat the Reds 42-22, scoring six tries in the proses.

After the last eight weeks of bone crunching rugby, the Bulls topped the South African

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conference and are third on the combined log. Despite a slow start to the season, at the halfway mark they find themselves serious contenders to win the 2015 Super Rugby competition.

Now, I’m not saying that it is downhill from here, taking into account that a four-week tour of Australasia still lies ahead, but the first part of a possible championship winning season has given the Bulls renewed energy for what lies ahead.

Rugby is a game of momentum, and the momentum is certainly behind the Bulls at the moment.

That said, it is important to leave the past in the past, to keep focused on the challenge at hand every week and to take every game as the most important game.

The Bulls start every week with a clean slate. You only have to attend a Monday morning training session and witness how, even after a hard game on Saturday, the guys put in the hard yards and prepare perfectly for the next game.

You don’t win the trophy halfway through the season, I know. However, if the Bulls continue on the foundation laid in the first half of the season, it promises to be an very exciting second half.

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a strap in the right direction

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Meet Corniel Els, a promising and talented young hooker coming through the ranks at the Vodacom Bulls. As Hookers generally do, he often practices his throws even outside of normal training times.

In the video below he gets a little assistance from our old friend ‘Klein Naas’. As always, ‘Klein Naas’, has the best intentions of assisting, but lacks the ability. He really struggles to get a grip on the ‘Lolli-pop’, and this creates a few problems for the Hooker to hit the target...

Can Corniel and Naas work this out?


RG LU UB EY SR

thE in-GoaLoffSidE inby Dan Lombard

THE in-goal area is a mysterious enigma for most rugby followers. Some of the laws pertaining to the tackle, ruck and maul change but most of the rugby laws that are upheld in the in-goal area.

More than one law being discussed in this issue is used to clarify in-goal infringement.

Back in March, the Sharks travelled to Newlands in Round 4 of Super Rugby to face the Stormers.

The Stormers restarted the game from the halfway mark where their centre Damian de Allende charged down Sharks scrumhalf Cobus Reinach’s exit kick.

The ball was scooped up by Odwa Ndungane who carried it over his own goal line but was


caught by Nizaam Carr and Schalk Burger and lost the ball in contact. Reinach, who was in front of Ndungane, grounded the ball as Stormers wing Dillyn Leyds attempted to score a try. The referee awarded a penalty try to the Stormers.

This caused a lot of confusion among supporters as well as the Sharks players. Springbok and Sharks centre Francois Steyn went as far as questioning the referee by asking how a player can be offside behind his goal line.

Well, you can. Being offside in the in-goal area, like knocking on or striking a player, is an infringement. Reinach played the ball from an offside position which is defined in Law 11.Law 22.16 deals with in-goal infringements.

All infringements in the in-goal are treated as if they had taken place in the field of play. A knock-on or a throw forward in the in-goal results in a five metre scrum, opposite the place of infringement.

Sanction: For an infringement, the mark for a penalty kick or free kick cannot be in the in-goal.

When a penalty kick or free kick is awarded for an infringement in the in-goal, the mark for the kick is in the field of play, five metres from the goal-line, opposite the place of infringement.

A penalty kick may be awarded for a certain kind of infringement in in-goal if it is the sort of infringement that would have been penalised in the field of play.Reinach infringed by playing Ndungane’s knock-on from an offside position.

Law 12 deals with the knock-on and defines it as follows: A knock-on occurs when a player loses possession of the ball and it goes forward, or when a player hits the ball forward with the hand or arm, or when the ball hits the hand or arm and goes forward, and the ball touches the ground or another player before the original player can catch it. ‘Forward’ means towards the opposing team’s dead ball-line.

The referee allowed play to proceed to give the non-offending team the opportunity to make something of the knock-on. Leyds would probably have used the advantage to score a try and Reinach played the ball cynically, thereby preventing a try. Law 11.7 states that a player cannot play a knock-on from his team mate from an offside position and if he does that he shall be penalised. Sanction: penalty kick.

Now comes the penalty try. According to the referee Leyds would probably have scored if Reinach had not infringed. Law 10.2 deals with unfair play and according to the law players may not intentionally offend and if they do then a penalty will be awarded and the player may be warned or sent off. In the event that a try would have been scored then a penalty try should be awarded and the player warned and temporarily suspended or sent off.

The referee chose not to send Reinach off, which if one follows the laws to the book, was wrong but he did award the penalty try.

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NEw COMpETITION

April saw the start of the historical Carlton Cup competition for Pretoria Clubs which is one of the oldest in South Africa.

It is a prestigious competition for the top Blue Bulls Rugby Union clubs that will this year battle it out over four months, from April to August, for the honour of being crowned Carlton Cup champions. The top open club in the competition will also qualify to represent the Union at the 2016 Cell C Community Cup. This year’s representatives were Pretoria Police who won the Plate.

The clubs who are competing for the Carlton Cup, in alphabetical order, are Centurion Rugby Club, Harlequins Rugby Club, Naka Bulle Rugby Club, Oostelikes Eagles Rugby Club, Pretoria Police Rugby Club, TUT and UP-Tuks.

Joining these seven Pretoria clubs is Community Cup finalists, Rustenburg Impala. They will however not qualify to compete for the Carlton Cup, but will compete for the

bRINgS MORE ExCITEMENTFOR bluE bullS ClubS

Platinum Cup.

Adding more excitement to an already exciting competition, the Platinum Cup competition will take place between the Pretoria based clubs and Impala in home and away matches. If any of Impala’s teams in the five leagues finish in one of the top two positions in their respective leagues, they and the top placed BBRU club in that league will battle it out for the Platinum Cup.

The BBRU Reserve and Presidents leagues also get underway in April and we are looking forward to some good rugby across the board.

** In Limpopo, the Boet Fick League gets underway with five clubs qualifying to compete for the honours of being the top club in the Limpopo region. The winner of the Boet Fick league will have the opportunity to represent the Limpopo Blue Bulls in the Cell C Community Cup in 2016.

Download - Vodacom Blue Bulls April

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