Ken Borland

When Bulls director of rugby Jake White returns to his Loftus Versfeld office on Monday morning, it will be with a sense of delight over how his team got the job done in Swansea and great excitement for the future of what is still a largely young squad.

The Bulls beat the Ospreys at the weekend, 38-31, a bonus point win that was more convincing than the scoreline suggests and which ensured a home United Rugby Championship quarterfinal against the Sharks on the first weekend of June.

“We played really, really well at times and we could have won 45-24 if the ball had gone to hand when Juan Mostert threw a pass that was intercepted and Ospreys scored,” White said after the Bulls overtook the Sharks in the standings to finish fourth.

“It was a comprehensive win and I was happy with everybody. I thought we played really well tonight – the shape of our attack, the speed of our game and the quick ball from the rucks, our understanding of space and where to go.

“At times we made it look so simple against a really good team that was vying to be the top Welsh side. We did that by creating space, carrying through the middle and using tip-passes.

“To be able to do that under pressure makes it even more gratifying. I’m really looking forward to how good this team is going to be. The confidence we showed is going to be important for the next couple of years too,” White said.

While outside centre Cornal Hendricks ran the Ospreys off the park in the second half with a hat-trick of tries, there were heroes all over the field for the Bulls.

“Cornal was outstanding and I was very happy he got Man of the Match, but Canan Moodie showed why we put young guys in these positions, he knocked on in his own 22 and Ospreys scored, but then he set up his try and one for Cornal.

“Ten seconds before Mostert threw the intercept pass, he made a try-saving tackle. Ruan Nortje was very good. If he keeps playing like that, it’s going to be difficult to leave him out of the Springbok squad.

“I wouldn’t have been surprised if Gerhard Steenekamp had got Man of the Match, at times he was outstanding as well, and a guy like Johan Grobbelaar does so much for us.

“I’m just really happy to see how we have grown as a team and that the guys now get a chance to play at home, having shown we can win away if we play well enough,” White said.

Welsh rugby may be painting themselves as the paupers of the United Rugby Championship, but the Scarlets pushed the Stormers all the way in their match in Llanelli on Saturday night, the visitors scoring a last-minute try to win 26-21.

Winning the match at the death meant the Stormers have won the South African Shield and will have a home quarterfinal.

A poor start by the Stormers saw them trailing 10-0 inside seven minutes as Scarlets flyhalf Sam Costelow kicked a penalty and the home side then fashioned a superb try. Scrumhalf Gareth Davies’ lovely little chip over the defensive line was taken by centre Jonathan Davies, who then passed inside for midfield partner Johnny Williams to score.

The Stormers did reply in the 14^th minute with a fine try, eighthman Evan Roos storming off a scrum and centre Damian Willemse making further ground before the visitors switched to the left. Flank Hacjivah Dayimani put in a great run out wide and then wing Leolin Zas just had way too elusive feet for the last defender.

But Scarlets still led 16-7 as the first half was coming to a close. The Stormers, for all their razzle-dazzle at the back, dominant scrum and Roos’s bossing of the gain-line, had little to show for it.

But the impressive Roos once again put them on the front foot in the 38^th minute, and after the Stormers had bashed away on the line for quite some time, the Springbok hopeful then got the ball again and crossed over with ease for the try.

It meant the Stormers only trailed 16-14 at the break and they started the second half brilliantly by taking the lead for the first time in the 42^nd minute. Slick hands by flyhalf Manie Libbok and Willemse saw outside centre Ruhan Nel take advantage of a dreadful defensive miscalculation by Scarlets, roaring through a big gap and powering over the tryline.

Leading 21-16, it all seemed set for the Stormers, chasing a second-place finish on the log, to pull away.

But instead they delivered a poor second half.

Some poor decision-making loosened their grip on the game and then flank Deon Fourie received a controversial yellow card in the 59^th minute, for a high tackle. He was unfortunate because contact was initially with the chest/shoulder region but he then slid up to hit the chin, as prop Frans Malherbe completed the tackle.

Scarlets piled on the pressure in the final quarter, but determined defence by the Stormers managed to keep them out while they were reduced to 14 men. But another ruck penalty awarded to the home side put Scarlets back on attack and, after concerted pressure on the line, they went wide for wing Ryan Conbeer to score and level the scores. Liam Williams was not able to convert from near to the touchline, though, meaning Ospreys won the Welsh Shield and qualified for the European Champions Cup.

The Stormers rallied though and spent the closing minutes in the Scarlets 22. In the final minute, fullback Warrick Gelant joined the line and threw a long pass out wide to Nel, who is such a powerful runner and he cut inside, through Liam Williams’ tackle, to score the matchwinning try.

The bonus point win means mission accomplished for the Stormers, but coach John Dobson has much to mull.

Scorers

Scarlets – Tries: Johnny Williams, Liam Williams. Conversion: Sam Costelow. Penalties: Costelow (3).

Stormers – Tries: Leolin Zas, Evan Roos, Ruhan Nel (2). Conversions: Manie Libbok (3).

A hat-trick of second-half tries by Cornal Hendricks carried the Bulls to a brilliant 38-31 win over the Ospreys in their United Rugby Championship match in Swansea on Friday night, with the determined Welsh side overwhelmed by the physicality and clinical finishing of the visitors.

The Bulls led 12-10 at halftime and were not flattered as they looked in firm control of proceedings, being well-served by their powerful ball-carriers and the presence of Hendricks and Harold Vorster in midfield, until a dreadful blunder by fullback Canan Moodie inside his 22 gifted Ospreys an important try.

But Hendricks then stamped his mark on proceedings in the second half, obliterating the Ospreys backline, which included the highly-rated George North as his opposite number, with several knifing runs. His tries in the 47^th and 66^th minutes were provided by young Moodie, who more than made up for his early mistake by counter-attacking well and showing beautiful judgement when it came to the timing of his passes.

Just three minutes before completing his hat-trick, Hendricks rounded off a prolonged, patient build-up by the Bulls, featuring big carries by outstanding forwards Marcell Coetzee and Gerhard Steenekamp, when he sliced through the line again to score.

Hendricks’ hat-trick meant the job had been done for the Bulls, with a 38-17 lead and the bonus point in the bag, in terms of doing all they could to secure a home quarterfinal.

But Ospreys kept fighting in admirable fashion and were rewarded by two late tries which earned them two bonus points. By doing that, they ensured Scarlets have to beat the Stormers on Saturday to win the Welsh Shield and earn a place in the European Champions Cup.

A team’s fortunes in knockout rugby depend on your ability to convert your opportunities and Bulls coach Jake White will be delighted with how clinical his team were in the first half.

In the first quarter, they were in the Ospreys’ 22 twice and scored on both occasions, through wing Madosh Tambwe and then by flyhalf Chris Smith, who showed sharp footwork and thinking on the tryline.

With the Sharks losing to Ulster, the Bulls rose to third on the log and are in line for a home quarterfinal, providing one of Munster (v Leinster) or the Stormers lose on Saturday.

Scorers

Bulls: Tries – Madosh Tambwe, Chris Smith, Canan Moodie, Cornal Hendricks (3). Conversions – Smith (4).

Ospreys: Tries – Jac Morgan, Luke Morgan, Sam Parry, Luke Morgan. Conversions – Gareth Anscombe (4). Penalty – Anscombe.

When SA Rugby bravely shifted away from their long-standing relationship with Sanzaar and SuperRugby and decided to throw in their lot with European club competition, there was plenty of uncertainty as to just how well the move would pan out.

Now, with the United Rugby Championship in its final weekend of round-robin action and three South African sides in the quarterfinals already, one can only say it has been a great success.

It’s been a tremendous journey for the Sharks, Stormers and Bulls, and even the Lions have shown their worth in being way more competitive than many expected. The tentative first steps into the URC were made when the country was still in the grips of Covid restrictions, the franchises were without their Springboks and they had to start their campaigns in Europe in the northern hemisphere autumn.

It was a chastening introduction and there were understandable fears over whether SA Rugby had made the right decision. Wiser heads pointed to the circumstances above and pleaded patience.

And how richly that patience has been rewarded with the four South African teams tenaciously dominating the second half of the competition, making their home stadiums fortresses and producing some thrilling rugby in the process.

Of all the sports in South Africa, rugby has probably borne the brunt of Covid, given how they were the code which was most accustomed to having big crowds in stadiums.

With at least one URC home quarterfinal guaranteed, wouldn’t it be marvellous for that team/s to have the backing of a properly sold-out stadium?

SA Rugby have been patience personified when it comes to working with government and their time-lines in terms of Covid protocols. But having seen the British and Irish Lions tour almost ruined last year, one totally understands their frustration at how slowly the wheels are now turning to get spectators fully back into stadiums.

If only Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa was as preoccupied with something that really will contribute to the economy, rather than that stupid monumental flag of his.

You always see politicians front and centre, ensuring they are in the limelight, when our sports teams enjoy global success. They piggyback so hard on the triumphs that you cannot help but wonder whether they believe they played an integral part in achieving the result.

The truth, of course, is that politicians do very little for sport in this country. You only need to look at facilities, especially at grassroots level, to see that. And yet they bask in the nation-building and social cohesion that sporting success brings, as if they had a key role in ensuring those outcomes. It is just another example of the parasitic tendencies of our politicians.

But even without capacity crowds in South Africa just yet, one feels the URC will go from strength-to-strength.

On the last weekend of round-robin play, defending champions Leinster are guaranteed to finish first on the log, but little else is certain. A team like the Bulls, depending on the results, could either finish second or seventh in the final standings.

And playing in the European Champions Cup next season will only heighten the hype here in South Africa.

Given the steady flow of South Africans to those teams, there has always been great interest in the English and French clubs and now those powerhouses will be coming to these shores as well.

SA Rugby are sure to see the vindication of their brave move in the years to come, as aligning with the major economies of the rugby world will bring an even greater profile to South African rugby.