Looking back: Right ticks for the Bulls and Sharks; not so for the Lions, WP

In a Covid-changed world, this is the time that our top teams are reflecting and doing their “post-mortems” following the completion of the Currie Cup competition last weekend.

The Bulls, no doubt, will enjoy a most favourable review and if social media is any indication they are still celebrating their Currie Cup win of last week, and so they should.

But even they need a rest after one of the most bizarre seasons in our history. It’s not long now and they’ll be back in “pre-season” – at a time when normally in the past they’d be playing in the early rounds of Super Rugby.

Bulls coach Jake White pointed out recently his team would be back in the thick of it soon, and it would be all-out action for the next 10 months. Up ahead is the Franchise Cup, the Rainbow Cup, the Pro16 (possibly) another Currie Cup, and then hopefully the big event of the British and Irish Lions tour.

For losing Currie Cup finalists, the Sharks, there will be mostly also a positive review having come so close after a Covid-interrupted season and the rise of stars like lock JJ van der Mescht and flank Dylan Richardson.

But for losing semi-finalists the Lions and Western Province there will be mixed reviews after being beaten in the penultimate round.

The Lions will look back at the emergence of a new fullback Tiaan Swanepoel ass a big positive while the improvement of scrumhalf Morne van der Berg will also get a right tick. Sadly, they have lost experienced lock Marvin Orie.

For Province, the review will focus on too many below-par performances, with the financial turmoil at the union no doubt playing a big role in the players’ mindsets. They, too, have lost a big player in flank Jaco Coetzee, who has moved to Bath.

There are also still strong rumours linking Springbok captain Siya Kolisi to the Sharks and hooker Bongi Mbonambi as well as fullback Damian Willemse to the Bulls.

The Cheetahs faced a number of challenges and failed to make the playoffs this year.

They lost their ProRugby status, and a bunch of top players because of it, while the knee injury to their veteran Bok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar didn’t help their cause.

The Pumas, with three wins, and the winless Griquas battled on with limited player depth and ran a few of the big teams close.

A mention must go out to Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse and Griquas mentor Scott Mathie who managed to keep their squads together – and motivated – despite results not going their way.

Hopefully the introduction of the EP Elephants in the Franchise Cup can inject a new lease of life in the local competition.

Rudolph Jacobs

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