Bulls heading north again

The Bulls will lock horns with the Cheetahs at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on February 9 in a pre-season fixture.

For the second consecutive year, Polokwane will host the two teams at its popular 45 000-seater World Cup venue. Last year, Pierre Spies and his team thumped the Toyota Cheetahs 39-16, thus setting the stage for another thrilling encounter in the heart of Limpopo.

This fixture forms part of a three-year partnership between the Blue Bulls and the Polokwane Municipality which is aimed at generating funds for tertiary learners in the province.

Freddy Greaver, Polokwane Executive Mayor, has watched the rugby culture grow in the city ever since the Bulls first played a warm-up match in the city in 2010 against the Lions.

"Our community is starved of rugby action and have expressed a desire to watch more international matches at Peter Mokaba Stadium.

"Therefore, this three-year partnership with the Blue Bulls Company presents an ideal scenario for our community in that our residents get to watch the former champions gearing up for the new season, while the fundraising initiative is a boost for investment in skills training for tertiary students who will ultimately help grow the Limpopo economy," he said.

Blue Bulls CEO Barend van Graan said that the Polokwane fixture is one of the highlights of their pre-season preparations.

"We have an incredible support base in Polokwane, so much so that our players have that home-away-from-home feeling when playing at the Peter Mokaba Stadium. This fixture will set the stage for what we're hoping will be a successful and memorable 2013 season for the Bulls in the Super Rugby competition," he said.