The success of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union is widely and rightly so credited to Willem Strauss, president of the Blue Bulls. Strauss understood that although the Vodacom Bulls is a professional team he needed the support of the clubs and their supporters. Known for more than a decade as a Union that did not care for their local players, it took Strauss only 3 years to make the supporters believe in the Union and made their club players believe that there is a pathway from club rugby to the professional team.
Club rugby was dominated by Tukkies, University of Pretoria, while the other clubs were disappearing at an alarming rate. During 2021 the Union invested more money in club rugby than the rest of the country's 13 Unions combined. This investment resulted in the rebirth of the Pretoria Rugby Club, a once-powerful club in Pretoria and the rise of "unknown" clubs in Northam and Grizzlies.
The Carlton Cup became the hottest contested club competition in South Africa, with Northam beating 2019 champions, Tuks already three times in 2021. One of Naka Bulls and Northam, who will compete in the Carlton Cup final this Saturday, will be crowned as the champions for the first time in the history of the competition.
The quality of players being attracted to club rugby in Pretoria will result in approximately 16 Currie Cup players and 2 junior Springboks expected to be included in the squads for the final. some of these players will also be representing the Vodacom Bulls in the 2023 Currie Cup after SARU authorised club players to be included in the professional Unions' teams during the URC and Currie Cup.
We discuss the rugby action at Naka Rugby on Saturday
Saturday's semi-finals were dominated by Naka and Northam's big pack of forwards
Results semi-finals