Ex Bulls Super Rugby coach Marais demoted to Blue Bulls Under-19's

In what is deemed to be a demotion in every sense of the word‚ former Bulls Super Rugby and Currie Cup coach Nollis Marais will be coaching the Blue Bulls Under-19's next year.

While Marais had success as a age-group coach before making the various steps up the ladder‚ he found it difficult to adapt to coaching at Currie Cup and Super Rugby level.

While the Blue Bulls Currie Cup side reached the Currie Cup final last season‚ they struggled to reproduce that form in Super Rugby and failed to make the play-offs for two consecutive seasons.

Marais was initially replaced by John Mitchell as the Super Rugby coach in May before Mitchell's hand was extended to the Currie Cup side after an indifferent start to the domestic tournament.

Under Mitchell‚ the Blue Bulls improved significantly and reached the semifinals‚ where they lost to losing finalists the Sharks.

Mitchell will assume the defensive coaching duties for all of the Bulls teams while Hayden Groepes will continue as the skills‚ attack and kicking coach for the Super Rugby side.

Gary Botha and Pote Human will double up as the forwards coaches with their areas of expertise being the scrums and the lineouts respectively.

Botha will also serve as the scrum coach for all the Bulls sides.

Former captain Anton Leonard will serve as the SuperSport Rugby Challenge and Under-21 forwards coach.

Bulls Super Rugby Management team:

Head Coach and Defence: John Mitchell

Skills‚ attack and kicking: Hayden Groepes

Forward Coach & Lineouts: Pote Human

Forward Coach & Scrums: Gary Botha

Baggage and Kit Master: Elias Bennett

Team Doctor: Dr Herman Rossouw

Team Physiotherapists: Lance Lemmetjies & Pieter du Plessis

Senior Rehab specialist: Juandre Williams

Strength & Conditioning Coaches: Jacus Coetzee and Ghafoer Luckan

Technical Analyst at Super Rugby: John William Meyer

SuperSport Challenge and U21:

Head Coach and Backline: David Manuel

SuperSport Challenge‚ U21 and U19 kicking: Divan Strydom

Forward Coach: Anton Leonard

Scrum Coach: Gary Botha

Defence: John Mitchell

Team Manager and Technical Analyst: Vainon Willis

Baggage and Kit Master: Zama Dyidi

Team Doctor: Dr Gerhard Louwrens

Team Physiotherapist: Kyle Meyer

Junior Rehab specialist: Yusuf Vahed

Strength and Conditioning Coach: Shaun du Toit

Blue Bulls Under 19:

Head Coach and Forwards: Nollis Marais

SuperSport Challenge‚ U21 and U19 kicking: Divan Strydom

Backline Coach: Bevin Fortuin

Scrum Coach: Gary Botha

Defence: John Mitchell

Team Manager and Technical Analyst: Curtley Prins

Baggage and Kit Master: Akhona Faleni

Team Doctor: Dr Gerhard Lourens

Team Physiotherapist: Um’r Ismail

Junior Rehab specialist: Yusuf Vahed

Strength and Conditioning Coach: Henri-Charl Terblanche