'N 75STE JAAR VOL HOOP EN VERWAGTING

DAAR’S min wat so lekker is as die afwagting kort voor ʼn rugbyseisoen – en dié keer is dit boonop die Blou Bulle Rugbyunie se 75ste verjaarsdag!

Daar is ʼn realistiese hoop en verwagting, weliswaar téén die beroepswedders se syfers, dat die Vodacom Bulls vanjaar weer die SupeRugby-reeks kan  wen. Die klomp ‘groentjies’ wat verlede jaar die plek van die vertrekkende legendes moes volstaan, het immers met hulle vertoning verras en gaan dié seisoen met meer kennis en ervaring binne!

In hierdie uitgawe van BLOU word die Bulls vooruitsigte bespreek – en  omdat dit die 75-jarige viering van die NTRU en die BBRU is, word hierdie uitgawe grootliks gewy aan die dade en gebeurtenisse wat Noord-Transvaal, die Blou Bulle en die Bulls ʼn gevreesde naam in wêreldrugby gemaak het.

Die stigtingsjare, die hoogte- en laagtepunte op Loftus, die Curriebeker-oorheersing, suksesse ná ʼn gesukkel in SupeRugy, vroue- en klubrugby, sewes, die jeug- en Bulletjie rugby en vele meer word in BLOU bespreek. Dis ʼn ryke geskiedenis, en navolging daarvan kan vanjaar straks sukses bring!

RAISING THE BAR!

It’s going to be a year laden with all sorts of pressures for the Vodacom Bulls and Blue Bulls. The year 2013 marks the 75th anniversary as an independent rugby union, and it’s a year that Pierre Spies and his men need to live up to the standards set by a proud string of heroes before them. This young team is looking fitter and stronger than ever, and boasts a sense of energy as a team that may best be described as inspiring to those of us that watch on from the sidelines.

You’ve obviously by now watched and heard the Bulls version of ‘Stand by me’, the old Ben E King classic. And if you haven’t, then do yourself a favour and check it out on YouTube. The boys have literally put it all on the line, and done the unthinkable… and done it in style. The music video, as expected, created all sorts of hype on the various platforms and will go down as one of the boldest marketing campaigns by a rugby team in this country – and even beyond. Check out more on the video in Brokkies (page48).

BLOU magazine will be launching a digital version of this publication in March. It will not be a replacement of the print magazine, nor will it be merely a digital version of what is printed. It will be a fully interactive E-Magazine, published on the alternate months from the print issue (ie: 6 issues of the print mag, and six issues of the E-mag for the year). The content will be different and fresh for each issue, and will be accessible via our Website and Facebook. – WvdB/SM

 

IN THE FEB/MARCH 2013 ISSUE OF BLOU

DOMINATING THE CURRIE CUP

by Wim van der Berg

SINCE their secession from the Transvaal Rugby Football Union in 1938, Northern Transvaal and later the Blue Bulls as they were called from 1998 have completely dominated the Currie Cup scene. By the end of 2012, Northern Transvaal and the Blue Bulls had won 23 titles, four of which were shared. All the titles were won in finals. Northerns and the Blue Bulls played in 32 of the 52 finals. (They also played in two competitions decided on a league basis).

After a slow start in 1939 when they had a disappointing in their first Currie Cup campaign, Northern Transvaal won their first title in the next competition in1946. It was ten years and four further unsuccessful campaigns later before Northern Transvaal beat Natal 9-8 in 1956 for their second title won in six Currie Cup campaigns. Of their 60 matches in the competition – including two finals – Northerns had by then won 45, lost 14 and drawn one for a good winning percentage of 75%.

However, it was obvious that the important matches were not won with regularity. There were also too often ‘soft’ losses against less favoured teams.

Then in 1968 Buurman van Zyl, coaching legend who between 1937-’51 played 79 matches for Eastern Province, took over as the first permanent Northern Transvaal coach

... Continued in the Feb/March 2013 75 Year Anniversary Issue of BLOU

BLOEITYDPERKE EN SWAARKRY

deur Ockert de Villiers

ENIGE span wat al met die Vodacom Bulls en Blou Bulle slaags was sal kan getuig van die geweldige respek wat hulle het vir stellig Suid-Afrika se suksesvolste unie sedert 1938.

Hierdie aansien wat die Bulle geniet het egter nie vanselfsprekend gekom nie en soos enige span het hulle deur stormagtige sowel as bloeitydperke gegaan. In die geheel egter het die huidige rugbyreus sedert 1938 van krag tot krag gegaan.

Met 23 Curriebeker-, drie Lionbeker-, drie Vodacombeker- en drie Super Rugby-titels agter hulle naam is Noord-Transvaal, die Blou Bulle en die Bulls onteenseglik een van die beste rugbyspanne ter wêreld.

Slegs agt jaar nadat die rugbyunie gestig is het die Ligbloues met die Barbertonse madeliefie op die linkerbors die Curriebeker vir die eerste keer verower. Daardie dag in 1946 teen die Westelike Provinsie op Loftus is die grondslag gelê vir nog vele roemryke oomblikke vir die span van die Jakarandastad.

Die helde in die 11-9 sege was Johnny Lourens wat die wendrie gedruk het na n lang skop van Hansie Brewis. Dit was slegs die tweede Curriebeker-kompetisie waaraan die Ligbloues deelgeneem het.

Noord-Transvaal moes daarna nog tien jaar wag voor hulle weer staanplek vir die Curriebeker in Loftus se trofeekas moes maak toe hulle in 1956 weer die beker verower het met ʼn naelskraapse 9-8 sege teen Natal in Durban.

In 1955 het Loftus Versfeld sy eerste toets aangebied. Die Springbokke het 9-6 teen die Britse Leeus verloor.

... Continued in the Feb/March 2013 75 Year Anniversary Issue of BLOU