The Japanese club, Ricoh Black Rams, have confirmed that they have signed Bulls and Springbok centre Wynand Olivier.
The club’s website confirmed that Olivier is one of a large number of foreign players that will join the Japanese rugby league this year which includes Chiefs and All Blacks centre, Sonny Bill Williams, who confirmed his move to Japan yesterday.
Ricoh Black Rams plays in Japan’s Top League who has seen an influx of international stars in recent years including South Africans Fourie du Preez, Danie Rossouw, Peter Grant and Jaque Fourie.
Bulls confirm his release
Olivier, who played his 100th match for the Vodacom Bulls 2 weeks ago, will return from Japan in February 2013 and will again be available to play for the Bulls in the 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby series.
He will return to the Rams at the end of the 2013 VSR season, when his contract with the BBC runs out.
“We have decided to release Wynand from his Currie Cup duties for this period and allow him to play for the Black Rams in their Top League and Japanese Cup competitions. We believe this is a win-win situation for Wynand, the Bulls and the Rams,” Barend van Graan, CEO of the BBC said.
“Wynand has been a very loyal servant to the Bulls and Blue Bulls and has played in all our teams since school. We were happy to accommodate his request for a release as we appreciate his commitment to the Bulls over many years of service.”









July 10th, 2012 at 10:30 am
Ahhh damn, now he can’t be backup to Frans anymore. See ya Wynand
July 10th, 2012 at 10:31 am
Never good enough… reminds me of Tjokkie Van Der Merwe… a guy who would have been a Bok were it not for the likes of Peter Whip and David Smith.
Shame even his advent to being a Bull was overshadowed by Ettienne Botha’s death…
Feel for the guy.
Hope he makes gazillions in Japan.
July 10th, 2012 at 11:28 am
Reply to DavidS @ 10:31 am:
Depends on how you classify ‘good’…
I’d be rather chuffed with a RWC, several CC titles and three Super Rugby trophies next to my name…
July 10th, 2012 at 11:32 am
I would imagine even the Bulls supporters must be happy about this.
July 10th, 2012 at 11:33 am
True.
But what I meant was that from an SA point of view there were centers as good and better than him playing at the same time. Jacque Fourie and Frans Steyn and Jean De Villiers.
He achieved a lot though you are right.
July 10th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
After the third test Morne Steyn is sitting in the change room fuming
“Ek kan sommer my eie gat skop…”
Jean De Villiers:
“Ja maar dit sal ook mis wees…”
July 10th, 2012 at 2:39 pm
Goodbye hope to see you…..never
July 11th, 2012 at 7:30 am
Wax Off Meisiekind
Wax On Geishakind !