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Matfield to Bulls is anything but a done deal - reports

Victor Matfield (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Reports that Victor Matfield will soon be unveiled as the new coach of the Bulls ahead for the 2019 Super Rugby season appear to be premature – reports Jan de Koning for Rugby 365.

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Recent media reports suggested that the former Springbok lock had edged out Southern Kings coach Deon Davids for the role.

The reports also suggested Pote Human was expected to be named as one of Matfield’s assistant coaches, while Alan Zondagh was in line to be named as the new Director of Rugby at the Bulls.

However, Rugby 365 have revealed that the hunt for a replacement for John Mitchell – who joined Eddie Jones’ England staff as a defence coach in September – has taken a dramatic twist.

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This website has reliably learned that the Blue Bulls Company has formally asked for permission to approach Western Province’s Currie Cup coaches.

This letter has already arrived at Newlands.

The BBC is keen to re-open negotiations with the trio of John Dobson (head coach), Danie Snyman (attack) and Normal Laker (defence) – a group that won the Currie Cup in 2017 and lost to the Sharks in the 2018 Final.

The group was on a previous short list of the Bulls, but they dropped off at an early stage.

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The fact that the BBC has asked the Western Province Rugby Football Union for permission to start negotiations with the WP trio suggests that Matfield’s appointment is far from a done deal.

It has also been revealed that Matfield wants to “iron out” some details with his other employers before being appointed at the Bulls.

One of those includes his work as the PayTV analyst.

It has also emerged that the BBC may not appoint Alan Zondagh as a full-time Director of Rugby. Zondagh, a former Western Province coach, was also linked to a prominent position at Loftus Versfeld.

However, @rugby365com has learnt that he may only help out on a part-time or consultancy basis.

Zondagh – who had coaching stints with Eastern Province, Western Province and London Scottish, while being a Director of Rugby at Saracens – in recent years ran a very successful High-Performance Centre in Riebeek West in the Western Cape.

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The Bulls’ attempts to find a replacement for Mitchell have run into numerous problems and resulted in a number of candidates – like Jimmy Stonehouse and Fourie du Preez – distancing themselves from the position.

It is clear this merry-go-round is not slowing down any time soon.

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Nickers 33 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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