Mail & Guardian

Pollard effect may reignite Bulls’ chances

Super Rugby season begins in Melbourne next Thursday, the kind of unlikely place and time that has given the competitio­n a bad name and forced organisers to consider radical changes. looks ahead to what the five South African franchises can expect this y

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The Bulls

Last year was a period of rebuilding for the Pretoria franchise after several players moved on or retired after the 2015 World Cup. They only missed out on the playoffs by a single log point, however, and there is reason to believe they will be better this year.

At the head of the list of improvemen­ts is Handré Pollard. The outrageous­ly gifted Springbok flyhalf missed out on playing the whole of last year because of a knee injury. But such is the regard in which he is held that, far from easing back into things slowly, he is likely to captain the Bulls from day one.

Preseason wins against the Lions in Harare and the Chiefs in Brisbane mean the Bulls will hit the ground running when they meet the Stormers in Cape Town on the opening weekend.

The Cheetahs

The Currie Cup champions have lost heavily in both of their preseason games, against the Stormers in Harare and the Sharks in Umlazi. Back in 2013 they made the Super Rugby playoffs as the good-news story of South African rugby but in the following three seasons they were never out of the bottom four on the combined log.

Their best forward, Springbok lock Lood de Jager, signed for the Bulls in the off season and without him they will struggle to win line-out ball. There is talent in the side, with wing Sergeal Petersen likely to become a Springbok this year and flank Uzair Cassiem having made his internatio­nal debut on the end-of-season tour last year.

They also have a cerebral coach in Franco Smith, and a pipeline of talent from Grey College and Shimlas. But it’s hard to see the Cheetahs improving on the last three years.

The Lions

Last year’s beaten finalists have a tougher task this time around as they attempt to live up to the lofty expectatio­ns of their reinvigora­ted fan base. It’s possible that coach Johan Ackermann has now stopped kicking himself for sending a second-string team to Argentina in the final weekend of log play in 2016.

On that occasion the Lions lost to the Jaguares 34-22, ceding top spot on the overall log to the Hurricanes, who duly went on to beat the Lions 20-3 in the final in Wellington.

There is little doubt that, had the fixture been played at Ellis Park, the boot would have been on the other foot.

This year the Lions will avoid the New Zealand teams until the playoffs, a huge boost to their chances. On the downside, one of their unsung heroes, Warwick Tecklenbur­g, has taken early retirement to return to the family farm.

The Sharks

Somewhat unexpected­ly, the Sharks made the playoffs last year. But creeping in as the eighth-placed side forced them to make a journey across time zones to Wellington, where they were duly crushed 41-0 by the Hurricanes. The potential of the side was shown earlier in the season, however, when they humbled the same team 32-15 at Kings Park.

There is no doubt that the squad has talent: Pat Lambie, Cobus Reinach, Lwazi Mvovo, Curwin Bosch, the Du Preez twins, Tendai Mtawarira and Chiliboy Ralepelle form the core of a good side. New coach Robert du Preez will face his real test when his first-choice squad is not available. If key players stay fit, however, a playoff berth is not out of the question.

The Stormers

It seems incredible in retrospect, but the Stormers were just two points shy of topping the combined log in 2016. The missing points were courtesy of a draw against the Sunwolves in Singapore, part of a mid-season dip that saw them lose to the Waratahs at Newlands and the Bulls at Loftus.

Coach Robbie Fleck will have to make do without his captain, Juan de Jongh, for at least the first month, and wing Leolin Zas is out for the season with a broken leg.

But the arrival in the Cape of Bulls stalwart Bjorn Basson and the return from Sevens duty of Seabelo Senatla should more than make up for other omissions.

As usual, the Stormers will be hard to stop if they get on a roll. And, as usual, they will then have to find a way to overcome years of under-achievemen­t in the knockout stages.

 ?? Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images ?? Man with the golden boot: Handré Pollard, seen here in action during the 2015 Rugby World Cup, is back in blue for the Bulls after a year spent recuperati­ng from injury.
Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Man with the golden boot: Handré Pollard, seen here in action during the 2015 Rugby World Cup, is back in blue for the Bulls after a year spent recuperati­ng from injury.

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