The 2025 Carling Currie Cup kicks off in style this weekend, and the Vodacom Bulls are making a strong statement right out the gate—youth, courage, and fearless rugby. Head coach Phiwe Nomlomo has shown his hand early, naming seven debutants, including six Under-21 players, for their opening clash against traditional rivals Western Province in Cape Town on Saturday (kickoff at 15:00).
In a tournament rich with legacy, the Bulls are writing a fresh chapter—one built on youthful hunger and guided by a spine of hardened professionals.
A New Generation Takes Centre Stage
Nomlomo, one of the most progressive minds in SA rugby right now, isn’t afraid to trust his development pipeline.
“The players have trained well,” he said. “Now it’s about executing under pressure and embracing the occasion.”
His matchday squad offers a snapshot of the future, with debutants Shaun Schurmann, Jean Erasmus, Jaco Grobbelaar, Dylan de Leeuw, Steven Nel, PA van Niekerk, and Marco Ferreira all eager to make their mark.
But it’s not a greenhorn side across the board—captain Nama Xaba, a master of the breakdown, provides critical leadership from the back row. Veteran campaigners Marvin Orie, Zak Burger, and Jeandré Rudolph add calm and control to the firepower.
Experience Meets Energy
The Bulls’ starting XV is balanced and explosive. The tight five—featuring Dylan Smith, Joe van Zyl, and Francois Klopper in the front row, with Manjezi and Orie behind them—will be tasked with fronting up against a robust Western Province pack.
Behind the scrum, Zak Burger and Boeta Chamberlain will steer proceedings, while the outside backs—Jacobs, Letebele, and Immelman—offer pace and punch.
Nama Xaba leads a mobile loose trio with Junior Pokomela and Rudolph in support, built for both breakdown battles and wide-phase counter-strikes.
Vodacom Bulls Line-up – Round 1 (vs Western Province)
Starting XV:
- Dylan Smith
- Joe van Zyl
- Francois Klopper
- Sintu Manjezi
- Marvin Orie
- Nama Xaba (C)
- Junior Pokomela
- Jeandré Rudolph
- Zak Burger
- Boeta Chamberlain
- Stravino Jacobs
- Chris Barend Smit
- Stedman Gans
- Katlego Letebele
- Henry Immelman
Replacements:
16. Shaun Schurmann *
17. Lizo Gqoboka
18. Jean Erasmus *
19. Jaco Grobbelaar *
20. Dylan de Leeuw *
21. Steven Nel *
22. PA van Niekerk *
23. Marco Ferreira *
(*denotes Currie Cup debut)
WP Bring the Fire
Western Province remain a formidable opponent, especially in the opening rounds where unpredictability reigns. They’ll test the Bulls’ set-piece discipline and defensive organisation, while looking to pounce on any lapses from the newer names on show.
Nomlomo knows the importance of composure: “It’s about staying in the fight, focusing on the controllables, and not getting caught up in the occasion.”
Loftus Lit for Take-Off
There’s always something special when the Currie Cup returns to Loftus Versfeld. The altitude, the atmosphere, the legacy. And now, a fresh-faced Bulls side is ready to embrace the moment.
Saturday won’t just be a match—it’ll be a marker for what this young Bulls group can become in 2025.
The Currie Cup is back. The stage is set. The youth are ready to rise.
