The Bulls will be pleased with their performance but will obviously be bitterly disappointed not to get the result they wanted against the Highlanders last weekend.
To outscore a New Zealand team four tries to two is quite a performance and there were so many good things about their display at Loftus Versfeld. They scored a good try through the driving of their forwards and Handre Pollard’s brilliance at the end to put Jesse Kriel away for a try was an example of exquisite timing. It takes quality players to execute that sort of move and cut through the defensive line.
The key talking point of the game, however, was the offsides penalty against the Bulls right at the end. In that situation, you should never be putting doubt in the referee’s mind. Normally there is a designated player on the outside who makes sure everyone is one metre back from the offsides line and you don’t go as hard at the ball on the floor. The fact that the guilty player was four or five players away from the ruck makes it even more disappointing.
With the Springboks, we experienced many games that were that close; the 2012 Test against England in Port Elizabeth springs to mind. They had possession at the hooter and we were locked at 14-14, but we went 24 phases without conceding a penalty to secure the draw. To do that you want numbers on their feet and staying out of the rucks. You look for the opposition to make a mistake, and obviously you need quality tackling in that period.
And you don’t want to put any doubt in the referee’s mind, especially when you have already conceded too many penalties – the Bulls gifted Lima Sopoaga with five shots at goal.
Also, at the back end of the game, the only really experienced forward the Bulls had on the field – someone with 50+ caps – was Lood de Jager. They needed calmness and assurance, some wise old heads. Those small differences can make or break you on the final log.
There was also bitter disappointment for the Lions in Brisbane, where they just weren’t sharp in the first half against the Reds. You very rarely see the Lions forwards being so dominated, but the three tries they conceded in the first half came from bring drilled at a scrum, a lineout drive and a sloppy intercept given away at scrumhalf.
Maybe there was a bit of complacency, the Lions just didn’t have that sharp edge and they woke up too late. You have to give them credit for getting the bonus point though, which could prove very crucial on the final log. It all depends on how they go in New Zealand, but the South African Conference could still be wide open.
The worry for the South African teams – and our national side – is how well the Jaguares are doing. Three away wins on the trot is unheard of and they have all been quality performances by the Argentinians, who are clearly starting to peak at the right time for the Rugby Championship.
Coach Mario Ledesma is starting to bring through some younger players with real talent and belief, which is what we want to see in the Sanzaar competitions, and they will certainly be a handful at home. It would really throw a spanner in the works if one of the SuperRugby conference winners is based in Argentina!
This is also the time of the year when speculation over the Springbok captain heightens. It is a really prestigious job that all the players aspire to and it’s not just about the on-the-field duties but also the ceremonial role off the field. The captain also has to manage the relationship between the coaches and players, which is a real skill in itself.
It’s also the start of a new era in Springbok rugby, so the appointment requires a lot of consideration. There are a few players available who have done the job before, but Rassie Erasmus may have different ideas about what he wants. The two incumbents – Warren Whiteley and Eben Etzebeth – are both injured at the moment and they both bring different strengths to the role.
Eben is more of a follow-me type leader who brings great physicality. Maybe some of that was lacking last year at the end of a long season and maybe he was carrying an injury or two. But there are four really good options at lock for Rassie to choose from, it’s one of the most competitive positions in South African rugby, and Lood de Jager, RG Snyman, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Franco Mostert are all world-class.
Warren Whiteley ticks all the boxes: He has good empathy with his team, he always turns up and has a very high work-rate, while also being a good speaker and person. Taking the Lions to two SuperRugby finals must count for something.
Of the SuperRugby franchise captains, Ruan Botha and Burger Odendaal are probably not going to be picked in the national squad, which leaves Siya Kolisi as the other option. He has done a good job for the Stormers and was in the form of his life last year for the Springboks. He would obviously tick a lot of boxes too in terms of the demographics of our country and what most people want to see.
He hasn’t been as influential this year though and I feel he is a bit out of form. He’s been playing a bit like a hybrid six or seven and is not really fulfilling the role of an openside or being an influential carrier.
All indications are though that Duane Vermuelen will make his return to the Springboks this year and he is also an option going forward, depending on where he decides to play his rugby. His body will be a bit tired after the end of the French season and he will need to be managed. The Springboks always do well against the European sides in June and that is why they have been so successful – they hardly ever lose in June in South Africa because the northern hemisphere guys are tired while the Springboks are excited and fresh to play.
So a lot of thought will be needed going into the series against England: Does Rassie choose a captain just for the series or for the whole season, or even nail his colours to the mast and pick someone for the next World Cup? But as the career of Jean de Villiers showed, many things can change in World Cup year …
Interestingly, New Zealand are also under the cosh a bit in terms of the All Blacks captain with Kieran Read being injured and England will be without their captain, Dylan Hartley, when they arrive in South Africa. But our position needs clarity too, which I’m sure will come as the injury situation eases.
John McFarland, the assistant coach of the Kubota Spears in Japan, was the Springbok defence coach from 2012 through to the 2015 World Cup, where they conceded the least line-breaks in the tournament and an average of just one try per game. Before that, McFarland won three SuperRugby titles (2007, 09, 10) with the Bulls and five Currie Cup crowns with the Blue Bulls. In all, he won 28 trophies during his 12 years at Loftus Versfeld.