Captain Ruan Nortje will run out for his 150th Bulls appearance next weekend, anchoring a high-stakes URC quarter-final before heading to Japan.
The Bulls’ popular captain, Ruan Nortje, is set to play his 150th match for the franchise in next week’s United Rugby Championship quarter-final against Munster at Loftus Versfeld — adding an immense extra layer of motivation for the home team.
Nortje is nearing the end of his illustrious career in Pretoria, as the 27-year-old is set to continue his rugby journey in Japan next season. A Bulls man through and through, Nortje has only ever worn the blue jersey since leaving school and sits 24th on the prestigious list of most-capped Bulls players in history.
Nortje made his senior debut for the Bulls in 2018. Four years later, his consistent provincial performances were rewarded with the first of his 18 Springbok caps — underlining his meteoric rise as one of South Africa’s premier locks.
“For me, it was a little boy’s dream come true to represent the Bulls,” Nortje said recently. “I’d have been happy with just one appearance and never imagined in my wildest dreams I’d get to 150 matches. I’ve been incredibly grateful and have been blessed not to suffer many injuries.
