Catching up: All you need to know about your favourite rugby team

It has been six months since we last saw the four local Super Rugby teams in action.

They will be back at it this weekend, however, in a festival of rugby at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria when the Lions take on the Stormers and the Bulls host the Sharks.

Here is part one, featuring the Lions and Bulls, as The Citizen takes an in-depth look at everything you need to know about your favourite team; from what sort of form they were in before the Covid suspension and what they did during lockdown, to who their key players will be in the restart.

Part two, which will be available on Wednesday, will feature the Sharks and the Stormers.

Bulls

What they did right before the break:

The Bulls started their Super Rugby campaign with two away losses to the Sharks and the Stormers but still showed promising signs with veteran Bok flyhalf Morne Steyn calling the shots behind a solid pack. And while they had to wait until their fourth match against the Highlanders to get a win, where the jersey colours clashed, there were signs that the Bulls were getting back on track.

What wasn’t up to scratch before the break:

Having suffered three straight loses before they recorded their first win, it was obvious everything wasn’t so rosy in the Bulls kraal. Their big match-winner on the wing, Rosko Specman, received very little ball to attack with while the defence in the midfield, and especially in the the wider channels, was found wanting. They were smashed 41-14 by the Reds in Brisbane before rugby was canned, but the signs were on the wall that the Bulls needed to make changes and make them quick.

What’s changed in the last six months:

New coach Jake White released a host of players which included captain Burger Odendaal to the Lions, wing Rosko Specman to the Cheetahs, and flyhalf Manie Libbok to the Sharks, while fullback Warrick Gelant left for the Stormers. But, in a strong recruitment drive, White signed some former Bok players or players he believes have the potential to become Boks and lured the likes of fullback Gio Aplon, prop Marcell van der Merwe, flank Arno Botha and eighthman Nizaam Carr, who are all former Bok players, to Pretoria.

What we can expect from them:

With White set to steer the Bulls ship one can expect a massive improvement and impact from the three-time Super Rugby winners. With the luxury of a host of quality players in Pretoria, White will be big on the basic fundamentals of the game, which means a strong set-piece, solid defence and a sound kicking game at the top of his must-do list. But, he will also expect the Bulls to score tries and plenty of them.

Who will be the key man:

Undoubtedly that “title” will belong to Bok star and eighthman Duane Vermeulen, who has been entrusted by White to lead the drive in a new direction. Vermeulen had re-signed with the Bulls even before White took charge, and his loyalty to the Bulls cause cannot be questioned, even if he does get called up to play for the Boks at a later stage. Veterans, Gio Aplon and Arno Botha, as back-up leaders, will thus also be key.

Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen will lead the Bulls this season. Picture: Getty Images

Lions

What they did right before the break:

Although the Lions started their campaign with a big away loss to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires, they showed some great attacking intent with coach Cash van Rooyen introducing some exciting youngsters, like scrumhalf Krappies van der Berg, to the mix, while the midfield combination of Dan Kriel and Duncan Matthews was a work in progress. There were positive signs when they won their first home game 27-20 against the Reds at Ellis Park and also pushed the Stormers very close.

What wasn’t up to scratch before the break:

The Lions enjoyed a poor Super Rugby campaign where they managed just one win out from six matches. They were especially poor in defence, while they lacked the required grunt in their pack. Veteran prop Jannie du Plessis struggled at tighthead, while at hooker, Pieter Jansen and Jan-Henning Campher showed that to find a suitable replacement for the departed Malcolm Marx wasn’t going to be easy.

What’s changed in the last six months:

The Lions went on a pro-active recruitment drive and brought in several new (and former) players. Jaco Kriel, for one, wasn’t available before the forced break due to the coronavirus, but will now be able to take his place in the team, while props Wiehahn Herbst and Ruan Dreyer will bring experience to the pack. Centre Burger Odendaal, utility back EW Viljoen, and wing Rabz Maxwane are also new players to be considered.

What we can expect from them:

Coach Cash van Rooyen has regularly stated the Lions are in many aspects back in 2013 when they had to rebuild a squad, after falling out of Super Rugby. They have lost several experienced players in recent times and are back at square one, so expect them to go back to basics, like having strong set-pieces and a good defence, before they return to their “inspirational” culture of playing open, expansive, entertaining rugby.

Who will be the key man:

They’ve always been a team where the collective is bigger than the individua, but one can’t help but think that the one player who can inspire and provide the spark is captain Elton Jantjies. When he is firing the Lions have always done well. He will, however, heavily rely on a strong set-piece and the support from senior players like Jaco Kriel, Ruan Dreyer, Willem Alberts, Courtnall Skosan and Ross Cronje to drive the team’s new focus.

Former Stormers outside back, EW Viljoen, is now a Lions man. Picture: Getty Images

In Part Two tomorrow, we’ll focus on the Sharks and Stormers.

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