The Vodacom Bulls are strengthening their squad ahead of the 2025-26 season, with World Cup-winning lock Marvin Orie set to return to Pretoria.
BOK ORIE RETURNS TO LOFTUS
The Vodacom Bulls are set to welcome back Springbok World Cup winner Marvin Orie as part of an ambitious recruitment overhaul ahead of the 2025 Currie Cup season. According to Rapport, Orie has agreed terms to leave French club Perpignan and rejoin the Pretoria-based side.
The 32-year-old lock last featured for the Springboks during the 2023 Rugby World Cup and is a seasoned campaigner with experience in both the northern and southern hemispheres. He previously played for the Bulls from 2014 to 2016 before moving on to the Lions, Stormers, and a stint in Wales with the Ospreys.
Orie’s return is viewed as a major coup for the Bulls, who are targeting domestic dominance and greater squad depth heading into the next URC cycle and Currie Cup campaign.
STRENGTHENING THE BULLS PACK
The Bulls’ recruitment doesn’t stop with Orie. Cheetahs loose forward Jeandré Rudolph is also expected to make his way back to Loftus, having decided to part ways with the Free State side after their SA Cup run. Rudolph previously played for the Bulls and Sharks and brings versatility to the back row.
In another forward boost, young lock Dylan de Leeuw is reportedly set to join the Bulls on a full-time basis. The 23-year-old, a former Junior Springbok who has represented Western Province and Italian club Zebre, has been training with the team for the past two months while recovering from injury.
BIG NAMES INCOMING
These moves are part of a larger recruitment wave aimed at solidifying the Bulls’ status as a top-tier force in both domestic and international competition. The Pretoria outfit is also expected to unveil a blockbuster list of arrivals in July, including World Cup-winning flyhalf Handré Pollard, powerful centre Jan Serfontein, imposing lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, and dynamic scrumhalf Paul de Wet.
With coach Jake White eyeing silverware on all fronts, the Bulls’ new signings underline their intent to build a squad capable of sustained success. The return of experienced Springboks and the injection of young talent could prove crucial in the seasons ahead.
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