Nortje to leave Bulls for Japan after near-decade of one-club loyalty
Ruan Nortje will end his Bulls career at the conclusion of the current season, joining an as-yet-unnamed Japanese club after spending his entire professional career at Loftus Versfeld.
The announcement follows the recent confirmation that David Kriel is heading to La Rochelle, making it a significant week of departures for the Bulls.
Nortje, 27, made his senior debut for the Bulls in 2018 and leaves having played 146 matches for the union — captaining the side on 37 occasions, which places him 10th on the Bulls' all-time list of team captains. He earned the first of his 18 Springbok caps in 2022.
Speaking from France, where the Bulls are preparing for next weekend's URC fixture against the Dragons, Nortje described the decision as deeply personal.
"I've been grateful and have been blessed not to have many injuries. It's a very emotional decision, but it's all about my wife and my family. They are my No 1 priority," he said.
Nortje singled out playing at a packed Loftus as the experience that defines his time with the union. "There's no experience like it," he said.
Head coach Johan Ackermann, who has worked with Nortje for a single season, credited him primarily for his leadership and character. "He's paid his dues and is established as one of the icons in the Vodacom Bulls jersey by how he plays and conducts himself. He'll make a massive difference wherever he goes."
CEO Edgar Rathbone echoed that sentiment. "Ruan represents everything the Vodacom Bulls stand for: commitment, humility, leadership, and pride in the jersey. He will always be a Vodacom Bulls player."
Ackermann also pointed to Nortje's mentorship of younger locks as part of the legacy he leaves behind, with the Bulls now needing to develop that depth without their most experienced operator in the engine room.