South Africa: Bulls set Currie Cup alight

Currie Cup on fire

The Springbok squad may have been excluded from playing Currie Cup rugby, and there may be a host of SA players plying their trade overseas, but the first few weeks of the competition have been enthralling. The gap between the Rugby Championship and World Cup has provided a spotlight on the domestic competition – a blessing and opportunity for those players outside the Bok squad trying to make a name for themselves.

Adventurous, creative, exciting Bulls

The Bulls change in game plan under new coach Nollis Marais has been the revelation of the early rounds of the Currie Cup. Their approach is not about bashing into opponents, falling to ground, and trying to achieve continuity through recycling from there. It’s about running into space, off-loading and supporting, beating defenders through enterprise and flair, trying constantly to use their skills. Their second half demolition of Western Province on Saturday was an eye-opener.

Brilliant Bulls bolters

Francois Hougaard was superb at scrumhalf for the Bulls (again), and Burger Odendaal, Dries Swanepoel, and Lappies Labuschagne were class acts, plus we had Tian Schoeman, Marvin Orie, Dayan van der Westhuizen and Jannes Kirsten looking great prospects, but the brilliant bolters were the back three – Warrick Gelant, Travis Ismaiel, and Jamba Ulengo. They were magnificent. Could they be the ‘finds’ of the 2015 Currie Cup?

Lions rampant

The Lions were again the other team to impress hugely, beating the Sharks in Durban in another performance of passion and skill. Lions scrumhalf, former KwaZulu-Natal schoolboy and Sharks junior star player Ross Cronje made a triumphant return to Durban, playing the game of his life against his old team. Jaco Kriel was a star again at openside. And has there been a better right wing in SA this year than Ruan Combrinck?