Bulls: No mass exodus
Reports of a mass exodus from the Bulls at the end of the season have been rubbished by the franchise.
According to weekend reports a host of Bulls - which include Pierre Spies, Francois Hougaard, Deon Stegmann, Akona Ndungane and JJ Engelbrecht - will head to Japan after the conclusion of the Super Rugby season.
It was billed as the "biggest exodus" since 2013 - when the Bulls lost 20-odd frontline players, including the likes of Juandré Kruger, Wynand Olivier, Morné Steyn, Jano Vermaak, Zane Kirchner, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Dewald Potgieter and Jacques Potgieter.
However, Xander Janse van Rensburg, the High Performance Manager at the Blue Bulls Company, told rugby365 that the facts of the reports are far removed from the truth.
"JJ [Engelbrecht] and Grant [Hattingh] have Japan clauses in their contracts," Janse van Rensburg said, adding that the duo will head to Japan after the Super Rugby season, missing the Currie Cup competition, and will then return for Super Rugby 2016.
"For us this has always been a way to retain top players," the Bulls' boss said, adding: "They have that financial incentive [of playing in Japan].
"They are not leaving, they return for Super Rugby next year."
He also said the "offers" to Pierre Spies and Francois Hougaard are for just one Japanese season.
"However, there are many factors that play a role in their decision and nothing is final yet," he told rugby365.
"They are waiting for finality on the Springbok contracts and the World Cup - nothing has been signed or set in stone, it is far from being finalised."
Janse van Rensburg added that Bulls coach Frans Ludeke and himself have been in discussion with Spies and Hougaard since last year.
In contrast with the report that suggested veteran Bok wing Akona Ndungane is also heading to Japan, the Bulls boss said the 34-year-old is in fact retiring.
"There is no truth in the report that he is heading to Japan," Janse van Rensburg said.
"Those reports are factually not very accurate," he said, adding: "Only those five senior players' contracts came up for renewal, the rest have all signed.
"The only surprise for us was Jacques du Plessis, with the attractive Euro luring him away [to Montpellier]."
Janse van Rensburg revealed to rugby365 that they already have a tentative agreement with Du Plessis to return to Pretoria after 20 months with the French club.
"I had a talk with him at the weekend about his contract in 20 months," he said, adding: The plan is to have him sign the contract to return to Pretoria before he even departs [for France]."
Du Plessis will miss two Currie Cup seasons and just one Super Rugby season.
By Jan de Koning
@King365ed
@rugby365com