Bulls dismiss Bakkies reports

The Bulls management on Monday dismissed as 'speculative nonsense' reports that World Cup-winning Springbok lock Bakkies Botha had signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with French club Toulon.

The Bulls management on Monday dismissed as “speculative nonsense” reports that World Cup-winning Springbok lock Bakkies Botha had signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with French club Toulon.

Reports in the French media suggested that Mourad Boudjellal, the President of the ambitious French Second Division (Pro D2) outfit, had pulled of a major coup by adding the name of Botha to their already impressive playing roster – which includes fellow Bok star Victor Matfield.

In a report on the official website of the Toulon club, Boudjellal proudly proclaimed that he had secured the services of the 45-Test veteran, Botha.

However, the Bulls have dismissed these reports.

“This is nothing but speculative nonsense,” Bulls Commercial Manager Ian Schwartz told rugby365.com on Monday.

“We are standing by our statement from last week, that we have not released Botha. He has a contract with us and can't play anywhere else,” Schwartz added.

He confirmed that the Bulls had already turned down two requests to release Botha – one from the French club, Toulon, and the second from the player himself.

“There have been no further negotiations and nothing has been placed on the table since we turned down those requests, so as it stands Botha still has a contract with us,” Schwartz said.

“He is bound by the International Rugby Board [IRB] and South African Rugby Union [SARU] regulations, which makes it impossible for him to play anywhere till he gets a release from us.

“[And] our position on the matter hasn't changed,” Schwartz added.

According to the reports in the French, media Botha is scheduled to arrive in Toulon next week to join up with his RWC-winning second row partner, Matfield.

Matfield's contract with Toulon runs out in June and the club hopes that by signing up his long-time teammate, they will be able to keep Matfield on their books beyond the current season.

However, the Bulls officials have made it clear that they have not come to an agreement, as the club has suggested and that Botha will see out his contract in Pretoria – which runs till 2011.

By Jan de Koning