Bulls win battle for lock Sintu Manjezi

The tug-of-war for lock Sintu Manjezi between the Cheetahs and the Bulls has come to an amicable conclusion as the 25year-old will be part of the Pretoria franchise from July 1.

This brings an end to an unexpected saga where the 25-year-old’s contractual status with the Bloemfontein franchise over an extension of his contract was a bone of contention.

Earlier this month‚ City Press had reported that the Bulls were going to intervene with regards to his contract with the Cheetahs.

In the end‚ the Bulls and the Cheetahs have reached an agreement and the St Andrew’s College old boy‚ who has been playing elite rugby since 2015 when he featured for the Southern Kings‚ will be making the 467km trip from Mangaung to Tshwane.

The Bulls do not have that many viable options at lock with Juandre Kruger‚ Andries Ferreira and to an extent Ian Groenewald not covering themselves in glory during their stuttering Super Rugby campaign‚ while Ruan Nortje has shown glimpses of talent.

Manjezi was a constant feature for the Cheetahs in the PRO14‚ but made his biggest leap in last year’s Currie Cup success for the Cheetahs where he featured in all eight games‚ including the final where they beat the Golden Lions.

The Bulls have fought for and gained themselves an adaptable lock in Manjezi‚ something that has interested their director of rugby Jake White.

“Sintu is a talented player for the future and is a powerhouse that packs all the skills that make a good lock‚” White said.

“He can slot in at lock or as a loose-forward.

“I firmly believe that he has what it takes to play at the highest level.”

Meanwhile, the jumping‚ swerving‚ always bustling Springbok Sevens stalwart Rosko Specman will be back on display in the jersey of the Cheetahs after he concluded a two-year contract with the franchise.

Specman‚ who played Super Rugby for the Cheetahs in 2017 and represented them in the Currie Cup in seven and the PRO14 in four matches‚ returns to the franchise after a stint at the Bulls.

Specman‚ who moved north because of a desire to continue playing Super Rugby and thus enhance his chances of becoming a Bok in the 15man code‚ made an impression in Pretoria but his star dimmed with time.

Naturally Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie is delighted to welcome a player who is likely to revel in the team’s always hustling‚ attack-minded style. “It’s a great signing for us. “He is a great team player‚ has a very good work rate‚ and has the X-factor that we all like and need‚” Fourie said.

“We are looking forward to having Specman join us in July.

“I am very happy to have him in our squad. ”—