Ken Borland

Dean Elgar, in typically dauntless fashion, said on Monday that he is not only up for the challenge of being South Africa’s new Test captain but that leadership also comes “extremely easily” to him.

The resolute 32-year-old opening batsman has been mentioned as a strong candidate for the Test captaincy now that Faf du Plessis has retired and Quinton de Kock has been told he will only be the white-ball captain. Elgar is assured of his place in the team and has captained the Test side before, losing by 211 runs to England at Lord’s in 2017 and beating Pakistan by 107 runs at the Wanderers in 2019. And the left-hander said on Monday that he was willing to step up and take the reins if asked.

“It’s tough being a Test captain but I think leadership has generally come extremely easily to me, I’ve done the job a lot, from school days through to franchise level. If it were offered to me I would definitely think long and hard about it and it would mean a lot to me. But it’s not like a job interview where you hand in your CV. You don’t put your hand up for it, it’s something that’s decided by someone else, who they think is the best person for the job and I will respect their decision,” Elgar said.

“But in the last eight years of playing international cricket I’ve had quite vast learnings from the personnel in the changeroom on the way you conduct yourself when it comes to preparation, the media and off the field. I’m extremely grateful for that, as a person I’ve never stopped growing and hopefully what I’ve learnt I can pass on to the younger guys.”

And Elgar, renowned as being one of the toughest competitors around, certainly has visions of restoring South Africa to their past status as one of the world’s best teams.

“We’re coming off a tough summer playing India away and England at home and I would have liked to have seen the team win more games and be more consistent in my own performances so that I leave the team in good stead. We threw some punches in the first Test against India at Vizag but then the wind went out of our sails and India were ruthless, they keep their foot on your throat whenever they smell blood.

“We started well against England but we struggled to do the basics for longer periods, which England did, utilising their experience. We needed more consistency, that’s an area for us to work on. If we do the basics for longer, especially in Test cricket, then the results might turn around. We need some hard chats, there’s definitely room for that, but also to trust in ourselves, have confidence in our ability and always think positively,” Elgar said.

Stephen Cook on Wednesday stood down as the Highveld Lions captain after their disappointing 2017/18 season but the franchise are still going to enjoy the benefits of his leadership and experience, with the 35-year-old set to fulfill the role of a senior pro as new coach Enoch Nkwe looks to rebuild.

“I have captained the side for the better part of five years and we had some success, but I’ve been thinking of standing down. At the back end of last season, with all the uncertainty over coaches, would not have been the right time though, but with the changing of the guard it’s a good time now for a fresh start.

“I spoke to Enoch and my leadership will not be lost. I know what has worked effectively in the past is to have the benefit of a senior player who is not the captain, and in my career, guys like Adam Bacher and Neil McKenzie are examples of that. So it’s just a different position I’ll be filling and I certainly don’t see it as the end of my career,” Cook told The Citizen on Wednesday.

Cook denied that the captaincy had distracted him from his batting, after a mixed season in 2017/18. Although he had many failures, when he occupied the crease for some time he still scored heavily and a return of 632 runs at an average of 37.17, including three centuries, was still solid.

“I’ve played some of my best cricket while I’ve been captain, but last season was a bit patchy, I was not as consistent as I would have liked but I still felt it was a good campaign. Of course cricket is a performance sport and if I don’t get the numbers on the board now I will be in trouble like anyone else.

“But I’m excited about next season, Enoch and I played together from when we were 11, we came through the ranks together. My resigning might actually help him because I might not have been his first-choice skipper and he can now go ahead freely with the new way he wants to bring in,” Cook said.

The equity of the Multiply Titans just keeps rising, with another rich haul of trophies gathered at the Cricket South Africa Awards this year, and much of the credit for that success must go to the leadership and equanimity of Northerns Cricket Union president John Wright.

Apart from achieving success on the playing field – a box the Titans certainly ticked by winning two of the three franchise trophies – the union also places a high premium on CSA’s scorecard system that ranks administration, and winning the Affiliate of the Year title for four successive years is a tremendous feather in their cap.

“For the Northerns Cricket Union to win CSA’s incentive scorecard for four years running is definitely a highlight from an admin perspective, as is every competition we have won on the field. We implemented a turnaround strategy for the stadium, which we remodelled with cosmetic upgrades and making it fit for different uses. Jacques Faul [CEO] has done really well to turn SuperSport Park into a multi-use venue.

“The function of our board is good and there has been very good support from council. Before 2013, there were many meetings postponed because we didn’t have a quorum, but it hasn’t happened once since then. Our club cricket continues to do well too and a good university is critical for any province. The involvement and success of Tuks is one of the reasons we do well, they are strong, with good facilities, coaching and infrastructure,” Wright said.

2013 was the year that Wright began his tenure as NCU president and initially he was meant to serve a maximum of two two-year terms. But then CSA decided in 2015 that presidents can serve two three-year terms and the Northerns council decided recently that the renowned international hockey umpire is eligible for another term when elections are held in August.

If Wright is re-elected, which would seem to be the obvious move, then the 47-year-old will be stressing that there can be no relaxing as the NCU and the Titans have to keep striving for greater heights.

“This is a fantastic union and franchise, steeped in a lot of history, but we mustn’t forget that we weren’t always one of the big dogs. Now we have to maintain our success and keep looking at opportunities to improve. We have achieved a lot, but to rest on our laurels would be a huge mistake.

“The well-being of our clubs is critical and I would like to empower them and provide them with even more opportunities. On the field, obviously the Titans had the chance to do the treble but only ended up with the double. But it’s a very cut-throat, tight competition. But I do believe that we have what it takes to win all three tournaments, we just have to be consistent all the way through,” Wright said.

The senior sports organiser at the Tshwane University of Technology stated that the Northerns provincial team and transformation in schools would be areas of focus for him if he serves another term.

“We’ve ridden the wave for a long time, we’ve been one of the most successful franchises in South African cricket history by winning two trophies for three years in a row, but this season coming will be a good test of where the franchise really is because we will be without a lot of Proteas players. And it’s great that we have provided a number of new players for South Africa recently.

“I would also like to see our Northerns provincial team be more competitive and more consistent, that needs a bit of rebuilding. I hope those coaches are allowed time to come through and are not just hung out to dry after one season. We need to give them an opportunity to establish themselves.

“There’s also a lot of work to do in the transformation of schools. We have not been as effective as we should have been at that level – there are some spectacular results but then some schools are dragging their heels. And I would like to see people have an even bigger attachment to SuperSport Park, make it feel even more familiar for our fans,” Wright said.

The chairman of the Titans franchise is certainly now a familiar face in South African cricket and, having achieved so much already, he still has plenty to give.

SHARKS

Coach – Former Bath and Kobe Steelers coach GARY GOLD has brought a fresh approach to player management and an emphasis on more attacking play since taking over from Jake White, who left the Sharks at the end of September at a crucial stage of the Currie Cup. The current Montpellier coach left Durban in something of a pall, the fans not happy with a territory-dominated game plan and the players and other coaches not enjoying White’s abrasive management style.

Top Players – The Sharks probably have the most star-studded team of the South African Conference, starting with the first-choice Springbok front row of Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis, the exciting lock pairing of up-and-coming Pieter-Steph du Toit and experienced former Saracens and England player Mouritz Botha, a loose trio headlined by Springboks Willem Alberts and Marcell Coetzee, the incumbent Springbok halfback pair of Cobus Reinach and Pat Lambie, and plenty of quality outside them in former Racing Metro centre Francois Steyn, and JP Pietersen and Lwazi Mvovo on the wings.

Captain – BISMARCK DU PLESSIS is arguably the best hooker in the world and a talismanic figure for both the Springboks and the Sharks with the huge physical presence he brings to the game. The veteran of 70 Tests turns 31 in May, but he will want to show he has many golden years ahead of him.

Last year – The Sharks won the South African Conference but finished third on the final round-robin log following crucial late defeats at the hands of the lowly Stormers and Cheetahs which cost them the home semi-final they always seemed to be heading for. That condemned them to a quarterfinal against the Highlanders before travelling to Christchurch to play the Crusaders, who romped home 38-6 in the semi-final. Many critics blamed the Sharks’ “stone-age game-plan” for their failure to turn their forward dominance through most of the campaign into a home semi-final.

This year – The Sharks, with almost all of their stars returning to action and some valuable additions to their squad, are obviously amongst the favourites to win the title. The more positive approach of Gold, plus the input of tactical guru Brendan Venter, should make them even more of a threat this year. But the effects of change can also be disruptive and how well the Sharks adapt remains to be seen.

STORMERS

Coach – The demands of the fickle supporters in the Western Cape have finally had their toll on ALLISTER COETZEE and the former Springbok assistant coach will head to Japan to replace Gary Gold at the Kobe Steelers at the end of the SuperRugby season. Western Province, basically the Stormers minus their Springboks, are the Currie Cup champions, but the Stormers have always offered much in the southern hemisphere competition without delivering the goods. Since reaching the final in 2010 and the semi-finals in 2011 and 2012, they have slipped down the standings to seventh in 2013 and a parlous 11^th last year, their worst finish since 2006. So the pressure is on Coetzee to finish his five-year stint as head coach on a high.

Top players – The Stormers have rectified their former ills by assembling a powerful pack that includes stars such as prop Frans Malherbe, one of the best loose trios in the competition in Schalk Burger, Nizaam Carr and Duane Vermeulen, and two tremendous locks in Eben Etzebeth and former Biarritz star Manuel Carizza, who has 44 Test caps for Argentina. Given enough ball, backs like Juan de Jongh, Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe certainly have the ability to beat opposing defences.

Captain – It is probably only a matter of time till DUANE VERMEULEN becomes the Springbok captain and the SA Player of the Year for 2014 will lead from the front in trying to make Newlands one of the toughest lairs of all. An indefatigable eighthman, Vermeulen is a powerful force with ball in hand, a steely defender and a potent force at the breakdown, as well as being a natural leader.

Last year – The Stormers had little to smile about in their 2014 campaign, the highlights being their wins over the Sharks and Bulls at the back-end of the competition that effectively messed up the chances of their South African rivals. They were hard hit by injuries up front but also struggled to match the tempo of play set by overseas opposition.

This year – The Stormers looked a different side in winning eight of their 10 Currie Cup matches and claiming the title in a dramatic final, upping the pace of their play, looking to keep ball in hand more and generally playing more positive rugby, all with an eye on this year’s SuperRugby campaign. Their coaching staff have put a particular emphasis on conditioning as they believe the game has changed into a much more high-intensity affair and they certainly seem better equipped for a title challenge this year.

BULLS

Coach – Patience could well start running out for coach FRANS LUDEKE, who at times last season sounded like a broken record as he bemoaned his side’s poor execution and utter failure to get results away from home. But the momentum of the three previous years that saw the rebuilding Bulls rise from seventh to fifth to second on the log was broken by poor contracting of players that saw a raft of first-choice stars leave Loftus Versfeld, forcing Ludeke to start the rebuilding process again.

Top players – With Handre Pollard pulling the strings at flyhalf, and Jan Serfontein next to him, the Bulls are hopeful of being a much more effective attacking force this year. The pack has been boosted by former Cheetahs stars Lappies Labuschagne, Trevor Nyakane and Adriaan Strauss electing to play their rugby with the Bulls this year. With Springboks Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies, Arno Botha, Marcel van der Merwe and Deon Stegmann also up front, the backs should have plenty of front-foot ball to play with.

Captain – PIERRE SPIES has plenty of pressure to deal with this year: Not only does he need to meet the expectations created by the proud tradition of Bulls rugby, with their last major trophy coming five years ago, but he is also struggling to regain his place in the Springbok squad ahead of the World Cup. Spies, who has not played much rugby over the last two years due to injury, sometimes seem caught between the more traditional eighthman style of play that suits his former life as a wing, and the more robust, tighter approach the Bulls’ game plan seems to favour.

Last year – Already ravaged by the exodus of unhappy players to foreign clubs, the Bulls were then hard-hit by injuries to key loose forwards Botha, Spies and Stegmann. But they were even harder-hit by their self-inflicted sorrows away from home, crucial errors seeing them fail to win a single game on the road. Their only blemish at home came when they were held to a draw by the Chiefs, but by losing away games to the Lions and Stormers in the closing weeks of the competition, they dropped out of playoff contention and finished ninth.

This year – There is more optimism about the Bulls’ chances this year because they have focused on developing a more expansive style of play, they have been willing to spend some money in obtaining three key players from the Cheetahs, and surely their top players will stay injury-free this year and actually be able to play more rugby.

CHEETAHS

Coach – NAKA DROTSKE has been at the helm of the Cheetahs since the 2007 season and has only managed to steer his side into the top-10 once, in 2013. But the gains of that year were reversed in embarrassing fashion last year as the Cheetahs tumbled to 14^th on the log and the former Free State captain was sent to the United Kingdom to study new coaching techniques. The pressure is clearly on Drotske.

Top players – Newly-capped Springboks Lood de Jager and Oupa Mohoje provide the spark amongst the pack, while prop Coenie Oosthuizen weds plenty of physicality with surprising mobility and skill at the breakdown. Willie le Roux and Cornal Hendricks provide plenty of joy with their lovely attacking skills at the back, but there were hints towards the end of last year that the honeymoon might be over for them as defences grow wise to their tricks.

Captain – Loyal lock FRANCOIS UYS has exchanged his status as a stalwart performer in the pack for the captain’s armband this year. A hard-working 28-year-old, Uys does not shy away from the physical battle up front, but also has useful ball-skills suiting the free-flowing style of rugby the Cheetahs prefer.

Last year – The Cheetahs did well on attack, playing some thrilling rugby as they scored 37 tries. But their defence was full of holes and conceding 58 tries and an average of 33 points per match saw them plummet from sixth in 2013 to second-last in 2014. Despite the talent available to them and their enthusiasm for positive rugby, the Cheetahs were not well-coached last year.

This year – With their coach almost at the exit door and key players such as Racing Metro flyhalf Johan Goosen, hooker Adriaan Strauss, prop Trevor Nyakane and flank Lappies Labuschagne already gone, it is hard to see the Cheetahs finishing anywhere but in the bottom handful of teams.

LIONS

Coach – Former Springbok lock JOHAN ACKERMANN comes across as a genial giant, ever polite and humble, and this has led to a far happier camp at Ellis Park. But he is far more than just a pretty face as evidenced by his ability to get the best out of relatively limited resources. The Lions have not only produced the results under his leadership but have played attractive rugby while impressing with their forward play, especially their scrummaging.

Top players – While his squad does not boast any superstars, Ackermann has reason to be chuffed by the development of his players over the last 18 months. Critically, he has a powerful front row anchored by Julian Redelinghuys, tremendous loose forwards in Warren Whiteley, Jaco Kriel and Derick Minnie, and two Springbok flyhalves in Marnitz Boshoff and Elton Jantjies.

Captain – At times WARREN WHITELEY seems too skilful, pacy and innovative to be a Springbok forward and he has been a driving force behind the Lions’ high-tempo style of play. Hugely popular as a leader, he is also highly-respected, especially overseas, as a player.

Last year – The Lions marked their return to SuperRugby with a highly-commendable 12^th-place finish, winning a franchise record seven games. Given that they had no high-profile players after being cast into the SuperRugby wilderness in 2013, many are still wondering how they managed to do it. The answer is simple: through determination, tremendous belief, commitment, passion and pride, work ethic, positive intent with ball in hand and technical accuracy up front.

This year – The Lions did all that could have been expected and more in the Currie Cup, suggesting that this team is continuing to grow and improve. They do have a challenging draw this year, however, going on tour in Week Four – they did struggle overseas in 2014 – and only having a bye in Round 10.