Latest news with #Jan-HendrikWessels
IOL News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Scrum like a masterpiece: A contest worthy of the Louvre
The scrum battle between the Bulls and Sharks was an epic tussle for supremacy in their URC semi-final on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld. Photo: Itumeleng English Independent Media Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media I've never seen the Mona Lisa in person, although – while cruising down the Seine under grey skies on an early autumn day, a light sprinkle of rain collecting on my brow – I did see the Louvre. There are over 500 000 works stored in that Parisian landmark, Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic portrait just one of the 35 000 items on permanent display. One day, if I am lucky – if the Rand allows it – I hope to look upon it and appreciate the masterpiece. If you ever make it to Oslo, be sure to visit the Munch Museum, where you can stare into the distress of The Scream, or wonder at the intimacy of Love and Pain. Some 5km away, the Viking Ship Museum presents one of the most well-preserved vessels of its kind. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading It is beautiful to look upon – the craftsmanship a thousand years old – yet still translating through the ages the care and pride of the workmanship. In the British Museum, hidden away in a corner of the African section, beyond the idealised Greek sculptures and the verism of their Roman counterparts, you can sit and admire the Benin Bronzes, looted in the late 19th century by the British when they sacked that kingdom. Clearly, all these things deserve to be on display, preserved for posterity and enjoyed by the public. Itumeleng English Independent Newspapers Image: Itumeleng English Independent Newspapers On Saturday night, at Loftus Versfeld, there was a similar anticipation built around the scrum. It was an all-Springbok front row that did battle in the United Rugby Championship semi-final between the Bulls and the Sharks – one that included Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw for the Bulls, with Ox Nché, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch packing down for the Sharks opposite them. It was enough to make any rugby fan salivate. Off to Croke Park ✈️ The Vodacom @BlueBullsRugby will take on @leinsterrugby as they fight to lift the trophy for the first time 🏆 Pre-Sale tickets (10% off): Sunday 10am BST General Sale tickets: Monday 10am BST#BKTURC #URC | #BULvSHA — BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) June 7, 2025 Pre-match speculation identified the importance of the department throughout the week. The tussle between Louw – arguably the best South African player of the tournament, despite what the URC might tell you – and Nché – the No 1 ranked player in the URC's Top 100 – was especially touted as a key match-up. After all, the Bulls have been rated by the URC as the best scrummaging unit in the tournament. The much-vaunted Sharks pack, surprisingly, less so – eighth, if the competition stats are to be believed. Before the match, the Bulls had a 94% success rate at the set-piece, compared to the Sharks' 89%. The Bulls had also won the most penalties from the set-piece, with the Sharks not far behind in fifth. That proved to be a fair reflection on the night, as the Bulls mostly dominated in the department, winning a couple more penatlies. In particular, The tight-head they affected in the sixth minute while defending their tryline was of the highest quality – a moment worthy of a chef's kiss that locked out a threatening moment from the Sharks. David Kriel soars over the try line as the Vodacom @BlueBullsRugby go one step closer to the Grand Final ✈️#BKTURC #URC | #BULvSHA — BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) June 7, 2025
The Citizen
a day ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
URC semifinal: Bulls beat Sharks
The Bulls were the better team over the 80 minutes, winning most of the key moments to eventually earn a comfortable win over the Sharks. The Bulls were on point in their massive United Rugby Championship (URC) semifinal against the Sharks, as they clinched a comfortable 25-13 win at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday night. The hosts weathered an early storm, to take a 15-3 lead into the halftime break, and after a brief Sharks fightback in the second half, pulled away again to secure a third appearance in four URC Grand Final's. They will be heading over to Dublin to face Irish heavyweights Leinster, who they stunned in Ireland in the semifinals of URC one. Here are four key talking points from their win over the Sharks: The scrum The Bulls absolutely dominated the Sharks scrum over the match. From the first two scrums the hosts set the tone, Jan-Hendrik Wessels getting the hit on Vincent Koch with the first, and Wilco Louw getting it on Ox Nche with the second. However they didn't take full advantage in the first half, getting the ball out quick from a big scrum in their own 22m, only to almost concede after an intercept pass. But they did earn a penalty in the Sharks 22m later that Johan Goosen booted over to put them 15-3 up, which they took into halftime. The second half was a much tighter scrum battle, as the Sharks got their act together and became more competitive, but the Bulls were still the better team and earned a late scrum penalty to see out the win comfortably. Early turnaround The Sharks thought they had gotten off to a dream start when the Bulls handed them an early try, after a huge scrum in their own 22m they got the ball out quickly and tried to run from their own line, David Kriel throwing an intercept for Ethan Hooker to intercept and score. But the hosts were lucky, as the TMO spotted the whole Sharks backline offside at the scrum, to chalk off the score. That allowed the Bulls to go up the other end, thanks to a stunning break from Embrose Papier off a lineout, with Sebastian de Klerk brilliantly finishing it off to put them up 7-0. De Klerk was again on hand to send a wonderful cross kick to Canan Moodie to score in the 21st minute, after Jaden Hendrikse slipped trying to clear the ball on his own line, giving the Bulls a 12-3 lead, which they turned into 15-3 at the break. Sharks comeback It was a disastrous end to the first half for the visitors. The Bulls were handed three yellow cards, to Harold Vorster for cynical play, Cameron Hanekom for a tip tackle on Siya Kolisi, and Marcell Coetzee for pulling a maul down after a warning from the ref. That saw them play with a man down from the 27th minute and two men down from the 36th to 46th minutes. That allowed the Sharks to dominate the final few minutes of the half on the Bulls tryline but they couldn't score. However they bounced back at the start of the second half, utilising the two-man advantage as Makazole Mapimpi scored on the overlap, while Ethan Hooker also worked space out wide to go in at the corner bringing it back to 15-13, but that was as good as it got as the Bulls then pulled away. Kicking woes The Sharks could say they lost the match on the kicking tee after they saw a slew of shots at goal go wide of the mark over the game, with both Hendrikse brothers missing crucial attempts at poles. Jordan was the kicker in the first half. He took three shots at goal from range, missing the first and third, while slotting the second. He also missed the conversion attempt from their first try in the second half, after which the Sharks changed kickers. But Jaden promptly missed his conversion attempt as well. On the Bulls side Johan Goosen slotted a conversion and penalty in the first half, missing one conversion from the sideline, while Keagan Johannes nailed a penalty from an angle, missed one from the side, and converted from the sideline to give them an important 25-13 lead which the held to the end.
TimesLIVE
17-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Bulls stampede Dragons at Loftus
It started off poignant but in the end it was the Bulls' poise and power that helped them down the Dragons 55-15 in their United Rugby Championship clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Before kickoff the Bulls celebrated the life of recently deceased Cornal Hendricks with a minute's applause and then silence. Soon after however they made their voices heard as they secured second spot on the points table with a dominant performance against poor opposition. Loose head prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels was a busy ball carrier and a productive scrummager, flank Nama Xaba proved a real nuisance at the breakdown, captain Ruan Nortje's work rate was exemplary, while fullback Willie le Roux made timely incursions and offloads. Like Xaba, Wessels also made his presence felt at the breakdown as the Dragons were frustrated on the few occasions they made it into Bulls' territory in the first half. The Dragons however are the cellar dwellers for a reason and their porous defence again served to undermine their efforts.
IOL News
02-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Tricky juggling period awaits Bulls in URC playoff race
Jan-Hendrik Wessels Bulls front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels was the Player of the Match against Glasgow. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Some Bulls fans on social media bemoaned the fact that the Pretoria side opted not to kick a late penalty at goal in last week's epic victory over Glasgow Warriors in Scotland. The outcry came about as another three-pointer would've denied the defending champions a valuable losing bonus point. It ended 26-19 at Scotstoun Stadium, which meant that Glasgow remained a point ahead of the Bulls on the United Rugby Championship log on 59, compared to 58 for the third-placed South Africans. But there was method to the madness. Coach Jake White explained afterwards that it was a case of securing the victory rather than risking a possible draw, as the ball could have bounced off the uprights or landed in Glasgow's hands, from which they could launch a counter-attack. Imagine if the Scottish club scored from there and snatched a draw? White added that the home side also had the necessary momentum after scoring two quick tries, and it was the end of a four-week tour where the South Africans were delighted to finish with three victories. The other major reason was the fact that Glasgow's last two league matches are away from home against tough opponents: Benetton in Treviso and log-leaders Leinster in Dublin on May 10 and 17 respectively. Benetton will be fighting for their lives in the playoff race as they are currently eighth on 41 points – only ahead of ninth-placed Munster on points difference – after being dismantled 56-5 by the Stormers in Cape Town last weekend. So, even if Glasgow somehow pull off a win in Italy, it is unlikely to be with a four-try bonus point. Then they take on Leinster, who may already have secured the No 1 spot by then, but wouldn't want to lose easily on their home ground. In contrast, the Bulls have two 'easier' league fixtures remaining, both at Loftus Versfeld: Cardiff on May 10 and Dragons a week later. The Dragons are last on the log with just a lone victory in 16 matches, so they won't pose much of a challenge. But Cardiff have been rejuvenated in recent weeks, pulling off a sensational 26-21 win over Munster in Wales last weekend, having beaten the Ospreys 36-19 away a week earlier. Cardiff are now suddenly fifth on the log with 46 points – with eight wins out of 16 matches. They are a point ahead of the Stormers, so they would want to end as high as possible on the log to avoid facing Leinster, Glasgow or the Bulls in the quarter-finals. White mentioned after the Glasgow win that the Bulls' 'destiny is now in our hands, which is fantastic'. But that is not entirely true, as Glasgow are still a point ahead of them and will stay second if they produce bonus-point wins over Benetton and Leinster away. That is highly unlikely to happen, though, so perhaps White is right in a way. He will be banking on his confident team to beat both Cardiff and the Dragons in Pretoria, but can they grab four-try bonus points in both? Dragons, most definitely. But Cardiff will be much tougher to beat next Saturday at Loftus, so a bonus point is far from guaranteed. White rightly praised his team for their 'resilience' shown on a tough four-week tour, where they beat Bayonne and lost to Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup, and then saw off Munster in Limerick and Glasgow in Scotland in the URC. But now the tricky part will be to find a balance between preserving the players for the guaranteed home quarter-final, and possible semi-final and final, and ensuring there is necessary continuity. The Bulls are enjoying an off week this week, face Cardiff and Dragons in two consecutive weeks, and then have another week off before the quarter-final. Perhaps picking the strongest possible team against Cardiff on May 10 might be the way to go, and then some of the top stars such as Cameron Hanekom, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Marcell Coetzee, David Kriel and Devon Williams could be rested against the Dragons so that they can be in prime condition for the May 31 quarter-final. Wilco Louw Bulls prop Wilco Louw (right) has been in top form, but will need to be rested before the playoffs. Photo: AFP Image: AFP The Bulls are already without star Bok wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, who is on a sabbatical on Japan, and can't afford to lose key players for the playoffs. Veteran utility back Willie le Roux's return off the bench against Glasgow was a real boost for the squad as he can feature in various positions over the next few weeks, while flyhalf Johan Goosen was also in top form against Munster and Glasgow. But after losing in the 2022 and 2024 finals, the Bulls must do everything possible to clinch that elusive URC trophy. Hopefully for them, it will be a case of third time lucky. 'It's a very talented Bulls team. I'm not just saying it as the coach. There's 17 or 18 guys included in the (Springbok) alignment camp, so the challenge for me is to find a little bit extra in terms of cohesion and desire to do well,' White noted after the Glasgow win. 'Are we a good team? Yes. Can we win games if we're all on song? Yes. 'What's nice is that we've proven our away games are as good as our home games at times. That would be the thing that I am most pleased about.' Bulls Remaining Matches May 10, 4pm: Cardiff, Pretoria. May 17, 3pm: Dragons, Pretoria Glasgow Remaining Matches May 10, 6.15pm: Benetton, Treviso. May 17, 8.35pm: Leinster, Dublin Playoffs – Quarter-finals, May 31: Bulls in Pretoria. Semi-finals: June 7. Final: June 14 URC Top 8 1 Leinster Played 16 Won 14 Points 67 2 Glasgow P16 W11 Pts: 59 3 Bulls P16 W12 Pts: 58 4 Sharks P16 W11 Pts: 53 5 Cardiff P16 W8 Pts: 46 6 Stormers P16 W8 Pts: 45 7 Scarlets P16 W8 Pts: 43 8 Benetton P16 W8 Pts: 41
The South African
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Rising Springbok star nicknamed Os du Randt
Powerhouse Bulls front rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels is certainly not unfamiliar to the Springbok set up, having already featured in three Tests last year, but every sign now points towards many more internationals ahead. The powerful prop – who can also play hooker – recently caught the eye once again as the Bulls claimed a comfortable win over Bayonne to progress to the Challenge Cup last eight, while on Friday night he delivered a stunning Man of the Match performance against Glasgow in the URC. Weighing in at around 120kg, while standing over 1.90m tall, Wessels continues to make a massive impression with his mobility and work rate. Following the retirement of Steven Kitshoff, there may be some sense in Wessels beginning to focus more on the loosehead position, but then the Springbok coaches may also see great value in his potential to serve as a successor to Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx. Either way, there is every indication that the Springboks will be able to deploy a weapon of mass destruction in Wessels, who is a breakthrough star on the rise. 'He's just been nicknamed Os du Randt,' Bulls Jake White said at the post-match press conference, referencing Wessels' similarities to the legendary former two-time World Cup winner. 'I don't know what the reason is but it's reminiscent of the days when I was lucky enough to coach Os. 'Jan-Hendrik was a lock at school and then a prop at school, then he was a hooker and then he adapted to become a prop again. It just makes our squad so much stronger. He epitomised our back-to-back efforts [against Munster and Glasgow] because his back-to-back efforts were outstanding.' TBC: vs Barbarians, TBC, TBC5 July: vs Italy, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria12 July: vs Italy, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha19 July: vs Georgia, Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit16 August: vs Australia, Ellis Park, Johannesburg23 August: vs Australia, DHL Stadium, Cape Town6 September: vs New Zealand, Auckland13 September: vs New Zealand, Wellington27 September: vs Argentina, Kings Park, Durban4 October: vs Argentina, London1 November: vs Wales, Cardiff8 November: vs France, Paris15 November: vs Italy, Turin22 November: vs Ireland, Dublin *SA Rugby are working on adding two more Tests for the Springboks, likely to be against Japan and Portugal
