Talking points from the weekend’s Super Rugby action
The World Cup euphoria has disappeared as South African rugby realises the magnitude of its player drain.
Le Roux Roets of the Sharks celebrates a try with teammate Dylan Richardson during the round five Super Rugby match between the Reds and the Sharks at Suncorp Stadium on February 29, 2020 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Everitt’s bold rotation policy pays off
The Sharks return from their tour of Australasia with an outstanding return of three wins from their four games.
While the Reds had only won once this season, they were fresh from a fabulous win over the Sunwolves, and the Sharks had to show plenty of composure and class to extricate themselves from some tricky situations.
To come away from Brisbane, where they have not won in five years, with a victory was a tremendous finale to their tour.
Coach Sean Everitt rotated his squad with five changes and was rewarded with big performances from back-up loose forwards Dylan Richardson and Henco Venter, but it was a superb defensive effort from the Sharks that won the day as the Reds dominated territory and possession. – Ken Borland
The World Cup euphoria has now properly disappeared
Pieter-Steph du Toit of Stormers during the Super Rugby match between DHL Stormers and Blues at DHL Newlands on February 29, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images)
Has the euphoria of the Springboks World Cup heroics evaporated really that rapidly?
With the sole exception of the Sharks, all three of our other Super Rugby sides suffered significant losses over the past weekend.
It wasn’t narrow losses either, with the Lions losing by 12, the Stormers by 19 and the Bulls by 15, pointing to a distinct lack of competitiveness.
More worryingly, one could easily argue that those beatings weren’t even handed out by the big guns – the Waratahs, Blues and, to a lesser extent, the Jaguares aren’t exactly mentioned in the same breath as the likes of the Crusaders, Chiefs and Hurricanes.
The Stormers might be excused as it was their first loss after four wins, yet that’s not the case with the underperforming Highveld teams.
Does South African rugby actually have the player resources to field four strong Super Rugby sides?
It doesn’t appear to be the case. – Rudolph Jacobs
Even Duane can’t ease the Bulls’ depth pain
The incident between Rosko Specman of the Vodacom Bulls and Joaquin Diaz Bonilla of the Jaguares during the Super Rugby match between Vodacom Bulls and Jaguares at Loftus Versfeld on February 29, 2020 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Gordon Arons/Gallo Images)
The Bulls are now the only winless side in Super Rugby this season and not even the news of the return of Duane Vermeulen can lift the gloom at Loftus Versfeld.
The porousness of their defence, the over-use of one-off runners in the unimaginative attack and the ill-discipline at the breakdowns meant they were never at the races against the Jaguares.
The Springbok eighthman will be available for the playoffs, but judging by the display this weekend, the Bulls will be out of the competition well before then.
Apart from a change in the midfield and getting the captain, Burger Odendaal, back from injury, the scary thing is the coach, Pote Human, does not have the players waiting in the wings to make the Bulls any stronger. – Ken Borland
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