Stormers discard joins Bulls staff
03/26/2025 11:40 AM
Formers Stormers flanker and Junior Boks captain Junior Pokomela has returned to the game as a member of the Vodacom Bulls management team.
After spending nine months without a club following his release from the Stormers, Pokomela has reportedly been appointed as team manager of the Bulls U19 side.
The Stormers won 22 of Pokomela’s 28 appearances between 2021 and 2024 but his contract expired without a renewal. While there was interest from other clubs, a contract offer failed to materialise despite a CV showcasing his track record as a standout age group player and one-time captain of the Junior Boks.
Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone spotted the opportunity to harness Pokomela’s experience and leadership qualities, offering the 28-year-old the opportunity to utilise his knowledge in developing the next generation of players at Loftus Versfeld.
“I needed someone that could fulfil a team manager and mentor role for the juniors, but also have some technical savvy so we can upskill him in terms of technical analysis,” Rathbone told News24’s Simnikiwe Xabanisa.
Pokomela is relishing the opportunity to embrace this new chapter in Pretoria, but he hasn't completely ruled out a return to the field, though he’s determined not to find himself out in the cold again.
“I’m not going to lie, just leaving the game is a difficult thing to do,” he said. “But most of us don’t get to leave on our own terms and I’m at peace with that. I’ll keep training by myself, and I might play in the Currie Cup.
“But I don’t want to be in-between and do half of this and half of that. My main focus now is on the job at hand and what my contract says.”
Photo: ©Shaun Roy/BackpagePix
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