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Bulls mum on Kings clean-out

The Bulls have described as 'just rumours' suggestions that they are about to raid the Southern Kings to bolster their player resources.

It was widely reported on Friday that four Kings players, including Springbok midfielder Waylon Murray, have signed to join the Bulls.

Apart from Murray, loose forward Jacques Engelbrecht, lock David Bulbring and Bok hooker Bandise Maku (a former Bull) will reportedly also move to Pretoria next season.

All four are involved in the decisive second promotion-relegation match between the Kings and Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Xander Janse van Rensburg, the High Performance Manager of the Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd, told this website that he "can't comment" on these rumours.

"We have not signed anybody yet," Janse van Rensburg said, when asked about the reports, adding: "All those [reports] are just rumours at this stage. That is one of the reasons we have not commented on it."

Asked if they are looking to recruit any players from the Eastern Cape, Janse van Rensburg said: "I can't say any more than what I have just said. I don't want to elaborate too much about what is happening [in the recruitment department].

"Given the number of senior players we have lost, it is a given we will look to replace them, but more than that I can't say at the moment."

Earlier this week the BBC revealed that the Cheetahs' Springbok scrumhalf Piet van Zyl has signed a two year contract with the Bulls and will join the Pretoria franchise at the start of November.

That release came on the same day that the Bulls waved goodbye to eight Springboks who are all leaving to play overseas.

Lock Juandre Kruger (Racing Metro), flanks Dewald Potgieter (Yamaha RFC) and Jacques Potgieter (Fukuoka Sanix Blues), hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle (Toulouse), Vermaak (Toulouse), flyhalf Morné Steyn (Stade Francais), fullback Zane Kirchner (Leinster) and centre Wynand Olivier (Montpellier) have all ended their time at Loftus Versfeld.

The Bulls later confirmed that they have extended the contracts of a number of young players that will be available for the franchise in the next couple of seasons – including Junior Springboks Travis Ismaiel, Ulrich Beyers, Paul Willemse, Dries Swanepoel, Irnè Herbst, Dennis Visser and Jacques du Plessis.

Jacques Rossouw (fullback), Travis Ismaiel (wing), Ulrich Beyers (utility back), Irné Herbst (lock), Dennis Visser (lock), Jacques du Plessis (No.8) and Schalk van Heerden (lock) all signed until October 31, 2015.

Paul Willemse (lock), Lodewyk de Jager (centre, not the Cheetahs lock), Dries Swanepoel (centre) all signed until October 31, 2014.

By Jan de Koning

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