The second United Rugby Championship season kicks off subsequent weekend, with the league able to construct upon an enormously profitable first marketing campaign that noticed the Stormers declare the inaugural URC title, whereas the Bulls completed as runners-up.
The Bulls have recruited impressively within the ‘low season, and on Tuesday it was confirmed that that they had now acquired the companies of Springbok loose-forward, Marco van Staden, who will make a much-anticipated return to Loftus Versfeld.
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The openside flanker is the most recent participant to hitch the Bulls forward of the 2022/23 season, signing a two-year contract that can see the 27-year-old stay at Loftus Versfeld till the top of June 2024.
“Eskom”, as he’s affectionately identified (for placing a couple of lights out along with his heavy tackling over his profession), spent his junior years on the Bulls earlier than graduating to the senior staff in 2017. In 2021 he signed with English Premiership aspect, Leicester Tigers.
Van Staden’s sensational performances, intense work fee and physicality on the sphere noticed him earn a nationwide call-up to the Springboks and subsequently earned at least 9 worldwide appearances within the inexperienced and gold jersey.
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Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, mentioned: “We are ecstatic to welcome Marco again to Loftus Versfeld. We have been gutted to see him go a yr in the past, however we’re happy to have been in a position to lure him again forward of the upcoming season.
“Marco is a phenomenal player who has proven himself over the years. We know what he can bring to the team on and off the field. We are looking forward to him contributing to our cause in a busy 2022/23 season where his experience and talent will prove invaluable.”
Van Staden joins the Bulls on the again of latest signings that embrace S’bu Nkosi, Mihlali Mosi, Phumzile Maqondwana, Wandisile Simelane and Chris Smit.
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THE BULLS WILL SOON BE BACK IN ACTION
R1 – Friday, September 16 / Saturday, September 17 / Sunday, September 18
Edinburgh Rugby v Dragons RFC
Ulster v Connacht
Benetton v Glasgow Warriors
Zebre Parma v Leinster
Scarlets v Ospreys
Cardiff Rugby v Munster
Cell C Sharks v DHL Stormers **Feb 3/4
Emirates Lions v Vodacom Bulls **Feb 3/4
R2 – Friday, September 23 / Saturday, September 24 / Sunday, September 25
Zebre Parma v Cell C Sharks
Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Rugby
Leinster v Benetton
DHL Stormers v Connacht
Vodacom Bulls v Edinburgh Rugby
Scarlets v Ulster
Ospreys v Emirates Lions
Dragons RFC v Munster
R3 – Friday, September 30 / Saturday, October 1 / Sunday, October 2
Cardiff Rugby v Emirates Lions
Ulster v Leinster
Benetton v Scarlets
DHL Stormers v Edinburgh Rugby
Vodacom Bulls v Connacht
Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors
Munster v Zebre Parma
Dragons RFC v Cell C Sharks
R4 – Friday, October 7 / Saturday, October 8 / Sunday, October 9
Edinburgh Rugby v Emirates Lions
Zebre Parma v DHL Stormers
Glasgow Warriors v Vodacom Bulls
Connacht v Munster
Benetton v Dragons RFC
Scarlets v Cardiff Rugby
Leinster v Cell C Sharks
Ulster v Ospreys
R5 – Friday, October 14 / Saturday, October 15 / Sunday, October 16
Edinburgh Rugby v Benetton
Ospreys v DHL Stormers
Emirates Lions v Ulster
Cell C Sharks v Glasgow Warriors
Munster v Vodacom Bulls
Scarlets v Zebre Parma
Cardiff Rugby v Dragons RFC
Connacht v Leinster
R6 – Friday, October 21 / Saturday, October 22 / Sunday, October 23
Connacht v Scarlets
Benetton v Vodacom Bulls
Zebre Parma v Edinburgh Rugby
Emirates Lions v Glasgow Warriors
Cell C Sharks v Ulster
Dragons RFC v Ospreys
Cardiff Rugby v DHL Stormers
Leinster v Munster
R7 – Friday, October 28 / Saturday, October 29 / Sunday, October 30
Scarlets v Leinster
Glasgow Warriors v Benetton
Cardiff Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby
Dragons RFC v Zebre Parma
Munster v Ulster
Ospreys v Connacht
Vodacom Bulls v Cell C Sharks **Feb 10/11
Emirates Lions v DHL Stormers **Feb 10/11
R8 – Friday, November 25 / Saturday, November 26 / Sunday, November 27
Benetton v Edinburgh Rugby
Emirates Lions v Dragons RFC
Vodacom Bulls v Ospreys
Cell C Sharks v Cardiff Rugby
Munster v Connacht
DHL Stormers v Scarlets
Leinster v Glasgow Warriors
Ulster v Zebre Parma
R9 – Friday, December 2 / Saturday, December 3 / Sunday, December 4
Edinburgh Rugby v Munster
Zebre Parma v Glasgow Warriors
Cell C Sharks v Ospreys
DHL Stormers v Dragons RFC
Emirates Lions v Scarlets
Vodacom Bulls v Cardiff Rugby
Connacht v Benetton
Leinster v Ulster
R10 – Friday, December 23 / Saturday, December 24 / Monday, December 26
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh Rugby
Cell C Sharks v Emirates Lions
DHL Stormers v Vodacom Bulls
Benetton v Zebre Parma
Dragons RFC v Cardiff Rugby
Connacht v Ulster
Munster v Leinster
Ospreys v Scarlets
R11 – Friday, December 30 / Saturday, December 31 / Sunday, January 1
Edinburgh Rugby v Glasgow Warriors
Cell C Sharks v Vodacom Bulls
DHL Stormers v Emirates Lions
Zebre Parma v Benetton
Scarlets v Dragons RFC
Leinster v Connacht
Ulster v Munster
Cardiff Rugby v Ospreys
R12 – Friday, January 6 / Saturday, January 7 / Sunday, January 8
Dragons RFC v Vodacom Bulls
Glasgow Warriors v DHL Stormers
Benetton v Ulster
Connacht v Cell C Sharks
Cardiff Rugby v Scarlets
Munster v Emirates Lions
Ospreys v Leinster
Edinburgh Rugby v Zebre Parma
R13 – Friday, January 27 / Saturday, January 28 / Sunday, January 29
Ulster v DHL Stormers
Zebre Parma v Ospreys
Benetton v Munster
Dragons RFC v Glasgow Warriors
Connacht v Emirates Lions
Scarlets v Vodacom Bulls
Edinburgh Rugby v Cell C Sharks
Leinster v Cardiff Rugby
R14 – Friday, February 17 / Saturday, February 18 / Sunday, February 19
Glasgow Warriors v Ulster
Munster v Ospreys
Zebre Parma v Connacht
Scarlets v Edinburgh Rugby
Leinster v Dragons RFC
Cardiff Rugby v Benetton
Vodacom Bulls v DHL Stormers
Emirates Lions v Cell C Sharks
R15 – Friday, March 3 / Saturday, March 4 / Sunday, March 5
Munster v Scarlets
Glasgow Warriors v Zebre Parma
Cardiff Rugby v Ulster
Dragons RFC v Connacht
Edinburgh Rugby v Leinster
Ospreys v Benetton
Vodacom Bulls v Emirates Lions
DHL Stormers v Cell C Sharks
R16 – Friday, March 24 / Saturday, March 25 / Sunday, March 26
Benetton v Emirates Lions
Ulster v Vodacom Bulls
Scarlets v Cell C Sharks
Zebre Parma v Cardiff Rugby
Leinster v DHL Stormers
Ospreys v Dragons RFC
Connacht v Edinburgh Rugby
Munster v Glasgow Warriors
R17 – Friday, April 14 / Saturday, April 15 / Sunday, April 16
Cell C Sharks v Benetton
Connacht v Cardiff Rugby
Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets
Vodacom Bulls v Zebre Parma
Emirates Lions v Leinster
Edinburgh Rugby v Ospreys
DHL Stormers v Munster
Ulster v Dragons RFC
R18 – Friday, April 21 / Saturday, April 22 / Sunday, April 23
DHL Stormers v Benetton
Glasgow Warriors v Connacht
Emirates Lions v Zebre Parma
Vodacom Bulls v Leinster
Ospreys v Cardiff Rugby
Dragons RFC v Scarlets
Cell C Sharks v Munster
Ulster v Edinburgh Rugby