Waratahs coach Michael Cheika says cult hero Jacques Potgieter will stay with NSW despite approach from Bulls

WARATAHS coach Michael Cheika confirmed cult hero Jacques Potgieter is “going nowhere” after a poaching attempt by his former club the Bulls.

Jacques Potgieter with Kurtly Beale during the Waratahs recovery at Clovelly following their game against Highlanders where they claimed the minor premiership. pic. Phil Hillyard

WARATAHS coach Michael Cheika confirmed cult hero Jacques Potgieter is “going nowhere” after news of a poaching attempt by his former club the Bulls surfaced.

Cheika’s declaration came on Wednesday as Queensland rattled the cage of the South African hardman and his fellow NSW forwards by saying they would target the Tahs pack to get on top at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

Potgieter’s growing legion of fans suffered palpitations after a report out of South Africa claimed the Bulls had attempted to get the wild flanker back to Pretoria for next year’s Super Rugby season.

Potgieter played for the Bulls in 2012-13 before leaving for Japan and Australia, and the exceptional form of the 28-year-old in Sydney has caught the eye of the African rugby community, along with talk of a Springbok return in the 2015 World Cup.

The Bulls approach came to nothing however, the report claimed, with the Waratahs using the “strength of the Australian dollar” to outbid the Bulls and re-sign Potgieter.

South Africa’s SuperSport quoted Potgieter as saying he “missed South Africa but I have another year in Sydney to complete” but also carried an indication from his manager Gert Van der Merwe he stayed in NSW for the money.

“He certainly was looking to come back, but the deal he was offered was a good one, and it was hard to refuse,” Van der Merwe told SuperSport.

Having signed on a two-year deal with the Waratahs that doesn’t expire until August 2015, Cheika confirmed there was no chance of Potgieter departing.

“He’s here on a two-year deal and he’s going nowhere,” Cheika said.

Sources indicated yesterday Potgieter did not have a get-out option in his two-year contract, raising questions about the South African report.

Potgieter’s abrasive edge has proved a canny addition to the Waratahs forward pack this season, helping to lift the team’s physicality enormously.

But up against the already-crowned minor premiers, the Reds believe that pack is the point of weakness they can attack in their final round clash.

“It’s a tough one. They’re a pretty good team all around,” Reds lock Rob Simmons said when asked about areas of opportunity against NSW.

“We want to get going forward and we have a pretty good set-piece at the moment. Especially our lineout, both attack and defence.

“So we’ll be trying to get to the set-piece nice and fast, speed things up and just trying to beat them in every little battle in the forward play, so our backs can start running riot.

“We are the number three lineout in defence so that’s a place we like to put pressure all season.”

The Waratahs will finalise their side on Thursday, with doubts over the fitness of Kane Douglas (back) and Israel Folau, who failed to train on Tuesday.

Originally published as Waratahs coach Michael Cheika says cult hero Jacques Potgieter will stay with NSW despite approach from Bulls