The Bulls have retained the services of Springboks hopeful Johan Grobbelaar, with the hooker re-signing with the side despite overseas interest.
Grobbelaar was linked with a move to Irish province Munster ahead of the 2024/25 season but has instead opted to remain in Pretoria until at least June 2027.
Grobbies pens three-year extension
The junior Springboks player has established himself as a mainstay in the Bulls’ front row and is a strong favorite to make his senior Test debut in 2024.
The 26-year-old, who was invited to this year’s Springboks alignment camps, may make his debut, especially as Malcolm Marx is still healing from an injury he sustained during the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Affectionately known as “Grobbies” at Loftus, the hooker has notched up 123 club appearances since making his debut with the U19s back in 2016 – a century (103) of those appearances has been in senior competitions.
When you consider the potential in our group, together with the outstanding coaches, management, and sponsors, it was a simple decision for me to extend, and I am looking forward to the next three years. This is truly a terrific club to play rugby at, Grobbelaar said.
Since moving here in 2016, I’ve had nine years of amazing adventures and noteworthy high points.
The biggest highlight for me was earlier this year when, for the first time since I arrived, we managed to truly fill up Loftus, having all the support every weekend and the incredible love from our fans. We had some great wins, some terrific tours, winning trophies, and a cup here and there.
Bulls retaining and adding talent
Grobbelaar is not the only player to commit his future to the Bulls with rising prospect Jan-Hendrik Wessels re-signing with the side until 2026.
He is another who is on the Springboks’ radar for 2024, with the 23-year-old settling in at hooker after featuring at prop for the Bulls as well.
Lock Ruan Vermaak has also penned a new deal with the Bulls which will see him remain at Loftus until June 2027 having joined Jake White’s side back in mid-2022 from Japanese side, the Red Hurricanes.
The news that the Sharks’ playmaker Boeta Chamberlain has signed with the Bulls for a two-year contract before the announcement of the three re-signings.
Regarding Chamberlain’s signing, White stated, “We have signed Boeta from June this year and his arrival will give us variation and depth.”
One of our goals is to have players that can play multiple positions, especially by the time they are ten. You don’t have to take your 10 off if you have a man who can play two positions, especially on your bench.
“There is logic in good teams keeping their flyhalf on for as long as possible, and your bench can play at 10 or another position. This has worked for multiple teams.”
