Bulls to petition SANZAAR over Boom
Blue Bulls Company High Performance Manager Xander Janse van Rensburg tells Trevor Cramer that the Bulls have opted to petition SANZAAR in their quest to have Boom Prinsloo released to play Super Rugby for the Pretoria franchise.
The governing body of the southern hemisphere's flagship
rugby competition informed the Bulls that former Springbok Sevens player
Prinsloo, who had joined the Loftus outfit from the Cheetahs on a two-year deal
on Monday, was not allowed to play Super Rugby for the Bulls this season.
High Performance Manager at the Blue Bulls Company (BBC), Xander Janse van Rensburg confirmed that written correspondence will be sent to SANZAAR to review their decision.
Signing a player at any stage during the season once he had already turned out for another franchise, is frowned upon by SANZAAR and can be compared with the 'cup tie' rule in soccer.
"They (SANZAAR) have approved similar submissions in the past," Van Rensburg pointed out.
"We have a long injury list at present -- Roelof Smit, Ruan Steenkamp and Arno Botha are all still in rehabilitation -- and we are in a position where we have to fulfil our depth and plug gaps," he added.
"Based on that, we will ask SANZAAR for permission to have Boom released to play Super Rugby this season already."
The logic of signing a player immediately in the knowledge that he would be unlikely to play Super Rugby has been questioned and Prinsloo will have to focus on the ongoing SuperSport Challenge and Currie Cup later in the season.
Van Rensburg, however, maintains it was always part of strategic planning and looking to the long-term future. They had, therefore, signed Prinsloo irrespective of his eligibility.
"We were always aware of SANZAAR's stance regarding Super Rugby eligibility, but losing the likes of Ranaldo (Bothma) and Arno (Botha) we needed to look beyond that," added Van Rensburg.
"Boom was a player we had been after for quite some time already and we are glad we could secure his services heading into the future. He has a vital role to play in all competitions and has been a vital acquisition."
Prinsloo represented the Cheetahs in 51 Super Rugby matches and the Springbok Sevens team for two years, which included 15 tournaments.
LISTEN: Bulls High Performance Manager Xander Janse van Rensburg clarifies the status of Boom Prinsloo