Ken Borland

With the Bulls now almost certainly out of playoffs contention, coach John Mitchell has the opportunity to work on developing players for next year’s SuperRugby campaign and he has one such future star available in scrumhalf Embrose Papier.

While the 21-year-old has been the Bulls’ third-choice scrumhalf for most of the year behind Ivan van Zyl and Andre Warner, national coach Rassie Erasmus showed how much faith he has in the Clanwilliam product’s talent by fast-tracking him into the Springbok set-up.

For Papier, the challenge is now to stay there and ensure he is on the plane to Japan next year for the World Cup. The more SuperRugby the lightning-quick halfback plays between now and then, the better.

“It would be very nice to go to the World Cup next year, that’s every player’s dream. I had a few chances in SuperRugby this year against New Zealand sides, I could express myself, but you learn a lot in SuperRugby too and hopefully that will help get me there to the World Cup. I learnt a lot in the pre-season with John Mitchell as well.

“I was very motivated to get into the Springbok team but it was still a really good surprise. Playing there has made me even more hungry. I made my debut coming on at wing and coach Sticks [Mzwandile Stick] said I must just use every second. I had a few nice runs against Wales and then it was quite wet against England but I feel that I used my chances,” Papier said.

Papier is also grateful to his Bulls U21 coach David Manuel for helping to hone the kicking game that is such a vital part of any scrumhalf’s armoury these days.

“My dad says I definitely need to work on my kicking game and I guess every player has his things he has to work on. I learnt a lot in my U21 year about when to kick and when to run from coach David. But my speed I’ve had from when I was small, I did athletics at school, I always ran.

“I started playing rugby at primary school at Lambert’s Bay and Darling, the community are big there with rugby and I went from touch rugby. Francois Hougaard and Dan Carter were my heroes growing up. I am short but I’m not small, I gym hard. I’m 80kg now but I don’t want to lose speed so I won’t go over 90kg,” Papier said.

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Kwagga Smith on the charge again. Photo by Marcel Sigg, runridedive.com

An excellent second half by the Lions saw them seal an enthralling 44-26 win over the Waratahs in their SuperRugby semifinal at Ellis Park on Saturday.

The Lions had to overturn a 14-0 deficit inside the first eight minutes, which they did in thrilling fashion through brilliant tries by Kwagga Smith and Aphiwe Dyantyi.

But the Lions conceded a soft try from a simple front-of-the-lineout move by the Waratahs right on halftime, to set up an exciting second half with the scores locked at 19-19.

Having over-complicated matters by trying to do the miraculous before they had nailed down the basics, and by wasting penalties inside opposition territory, the message finally seemed to get through to the Lions that they were playing knockout rugby when flyhalf Elton Jantjies kicked a 55th-minute penalty from in front of the posts to give them a 22-19 lead.

From then on there was only one team in it as the dominant Lions forwards, led by the heroic Kwagga Smith, nailed down the victory and a trip to Christchurch for the final against the Crusaders, the reigning champions.

The Lions will get an icy welcome to the South Island and, given how invincible the Crusaders have been in playoff games at home – Saturday’s comfortable win over the Hurricanes was their 20th in a row – Swys de Bruin’s team will have to focus far better on defence, where they suffered some costly lapses at Ellis Park, and also fix a lineout that did not operate as smoothly as it should have.

The Waratahs held sway in the early exchanges and, although Lourens Erasmus, playing at flank, snaffled a couple of turnovers to end promising attacks, the Lions just could not contain the early width of the New South Wales game. They will also wish errors such as a missed lineout and a slipped tackle in midfield had been cut out of their game.

The opening try came from the sort of move they probably watched on video numerous times this week in their analysis of the Waratahs, flyhalf Bernard Foley launching a bomb into their 22, which Israel Folau won. The ball was immediately sent out wide right before going wide left almost as quickly, flank Ned Hanigan cantering over for the try.

Four minutes later, the Waratahs attack had the Lions at sixes and sevens down the left wing as Taqele Naiyaravoro stormed through tackles to get the visitors into the 22; lock Rob Simmons was stopped just short of the line, but fullback Folau was at hand to get the recycled ball and charge over for the second try.

The Lions finally got on the board in the 21st minute. An incredible piece of individual skill by wing Dyantyi saw him take a pass at the same time as he was swiveling out of a tackle; once in the Waratahs’ 22, flank Smith then showed just how explosive and strong he is with the ball as he powered over for an impressive try.

Dyantyi would go one better just five minutes later with a try that will go into Lions’ folklore. The new Springbok gathered the ball inside his own 22 as the Waratahs went the aerial route and immediately decided to counter. He went to the boot to get over the initial line of defence, regathered his own deft chip and then simply switched to another gear, showing amazing pace to pull away from the remaining defenders for a scintillating try.

Aphiwe Dyantyi dives over for his magnificent solo try. Photo by Marcel Sigg, runridedive.com

The Lions grabbed a 19-14 lead just before halftime with a thunderous rolling maul, hooker Malcolm Marx dotting down, but the Waratahs snuck over for an equalising try in the 40th minute. It felt like a sucker punch as a simple, but clever short lineout allowed prop Tom Robertson to go charging over.

Dyantyi unfortunately did not come out for the second half due to what coach De Bruin later described as a hamstring twinge, and firebrand loose forward Marnus Schoeman would prove a telling substitution for Erasmus.

It was his ferocious carry that led to Jantjies’ first penalty and Schoeman then produced another storming run two minutes later to carry the Lions into the Waratahs’ 22. The attack ended due to a lazy runner, with replacement hooker Damien Fitzpatrick yellow-carded for the offence in the red zone, the Lions setting another excellent lineout drive which resulted in Marx scoring again.

THE BIG HIT … Malcolm Marx puts down Israel Folau. Photo by Marcel Sigg, runridedive.com

At 19-27 down, the Waratahs were chasing the game thereafter; but Smith showed good toe after breaking loose on the 22 for another rousing try and, as the deficit reached critical mass at 34-19, the Australians desperately tried to get the ball wide as quickly as possible.

It all became a mess though as passes went behind the receiver, the move broke down and the Lions flooded the breakdown to win a penalty which Jantjies kicked from 52 metres out.

The Waratahs did manage to put together a decent attack with just four minutes remaining, Foley finding eighthman Michael Wells with a lovely pass, and once through the gap the former Brumbie linked up with replacement scrumhalf Jake Gordon for a consolation try (26-37).

Pegged back in their 22 from the restart, the Waratahs were then faced with an impregnable Lions defence, replacement scrumhalf Dillon Smit putting in a bone-rattling hit on Foley, the ball was turned over and Jantjies found Courtnall Skosan, Dyantyi’s replacement on the wing, with a pinpoint crosskick for the Lions’ sixth try.

The Crusaders scored four tries in beating the Hurricanes and these two great sides will enjoin in battle in a repeat of last year’s final, although this time it will be in Christchurch rather than Johannesburg.

This has been a season of renewal for the Bulls and one of the fresh faces to have really come to the fore in SuperRugby has been loose forward Marco van Staden, a man of frenetic energy, great physicality and no little skill in doing his ball-pilfering job at the rucks.

A couple of the writers who regularly cover the Bulls were fortunate enough to get to interview the 22-year-old recently and he revealed that he played no provincial schoolboy rugby. This is probably largely due to the fact that he went to Hoerskool Bekker in Magaliesburg, not one of the traditional rugby powers.

He has made it this far – now being rated as one of South Africa’s most promising young forwards – thanks to his single-minded determination to fulfil his dream of being a professional rugby player and a bursary to study sports science from the University of Pretoria. Van Staden graduated last month and is the exception to the rule when it comes to how rugby players move through the development pipeline.

This got me thinking about the numerous, who knows how many, talents that fall through the cracks in South African rugby because of our obsession with a handful of elite rugby schools and provincial U19 and U21 competitions and the Varsity Cup.

Our results whenever we get to play against other countries – whether in the Pro14, SuperRugby or at Springbok level – show that our rugby is not well. The main reason for that is the terrible structure of our game. We desperately need a system that includes as much as possible of the undeniable talent that comes flooding through every year.

Instead, our rugby is elitist and there are barriers everywhere. It starts at school level where a few elite schools just get richer and richer through the ridiculous amount of attention that is lavished on them. Just turn on the rugby channel and you are very likely to be watching a schoolboy game.

These youngsters are fawned over from a young age and if you didn’t go to the ‘right’ school then chances are you won’t be playing in Craven Week, which means you won’t get snapped up by a province or university; in other words you are out of the system, generally for good.

Having been taught win-at-all-costs rugby at school level, to the detriment of skills development, these cloistered kids become professional rugby players at the age of 19, big fish in a small pond just going to another small pond. Many of them play in a Varsity Cup that shares little resemblance to the sort of rugby they will need to play if they are going to make it with the Springboks.

That rugby is being jealousy guarded as the preserve of a few was rammed home by two recent incidents.

Wanderers U21 players laid a complaint of vicious racism and assault against Roodepoort, with the disciplinary hearing held on May 9 by the Golden Lions Rugby Union. Seven weeks later and this issue has still not been resolved.

If South African rugby wants their sport to be played and enjoyed by most people in this country then incidents like this cannot be tolerated. If a blind eye is turned to what happens at club level, SA Rugby are discarding the probable solution to their structural crisis. By growing a healthy club rugby culture between the junior and professional ranks, there will be a pipeline that provides opportunity for way more talent.

But this lack of inclusivity is even seen at school level. Hilton College and Paul Roos (still sponsored by a Steinhoff subsidiary) fielded lilywhite teams in their Premier Interschools matches against Maritzburg College and Grey High respectively. Encouraged by blanket television coverage, they are allowed to get away with this gross dereliction of duty.

Both those schools spend a fortune on recruitment, so it is obvious making sure their teams reflect the demographics of our country by obtaining Black talent does not even register on their radar. And these are the schools which are meant to be preparing our children for a future South Africa!

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.