Cornal Hendricks of the Bulls celebrates after scoring a try during the Super Rugby match against the Blues at Eden Park on 31 May 2019 in Auckland (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
- Cornal Hendricks could be the next Bulls player released, after wing partner Rosko Specman’s departure.
- The former Springbok fought a heart condition that kept him out of rugby for three years to come back and play for the Bulls in 2019 and 2020.
- However, it appears he’s not in Bulls director of rugby Jake White’s plans.
Winger Cornal Hendricks faces a fresh battle to keep his rugby career as his future at the Bulls remains in doubt.
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Sport24 understands that new Bulls director of rugby Jake White doesn’t have him in his plans, as he looks to remodel the Pretoria side in his image, within SA Rugby’s 45-man contractual and budgetary confines.
Two people close to the team said Hendricks was on his way out.
But the departures of utility back Divan Rossouw (Lions) and flying winger Rosko Specman (possibly to the Cheetahs) could somehow save Hendricks’s bacon, if White’s replacement targets aren’t acquired by the time competition resumes this year.
Sunday weekly Rapport wrote that Specman was on his way out of Loftus and headed back to Bloemfontein, where he had a brief spell in 2017. Specman, who scored a hat-trick in the Bulls’ only win of the season, against the Highlanders at Loftus in March, was apparently shocked by the decision to release him.
A deal that could involve the Springbok Sevens footing half his contractual bill with the Cheetahs was said to be on the cards, although Sport24 understands that the deal had yet to be finalised at the time of writing.
His wing partner, Hendricks, remains in limbo. Hendricks has yet to have his future spelled out by his new boss, while his representatives, Le Cap Sports, were trying to negotiate an extended stay at the franchise to fill various voids left in the backline.
Hendricks spent more than three years in the wilderness between 2016 and 2019 – from the time he left the Cheetahs to join the Stormers, whom he never played a single game for – due to a heart condition that drove plenty other potential suitors away.
The former Springbok, who won 12 international caps and scored five tries, fought to disprove that his condition hindered him from playing the game at the highest level. He was successful at the end of 2018 when the Bulls took a chance on him and signed him for the 2019 and, subsequently, the 2020 seasons.
However, it could be back to square one for the 32-year-old after being kept in the dark about his future at Loftus.
Travis Ismaiel, 27, and Gio Aplon, 37, were two outside backs confirmed to be joining the Bulls.
Ismaiel is still young enough and good enough to produce the goods on either wing but it’s unclear whether he will do so with or without Hendricks on the other wing.
