Bulls score beautiful tries even without ‘stampkar’

HAVING idolised the Blue Bulls while growing up in Pretoria, Marnus Potgieter would know all about the public image of the team’s style of play.

“Stampkar” (dodgem car) was the term the 21-year-old outside back used this week when speaking about how the Currie Cup And Super Rugby Unlocked champions were known to play.

And, standing at 1.87m and weighing around 86kg – which makes him 1cm taller than Springbok No 13 Lukhanyo Am – Potgieter would have been able to play the ‘traditional’ type of rugby if required.

But there is a new breed of centre emerging out of Loftus Versfeld these days on Jake White’s watch.

The first-choice midfield pair of Cornal Hendricks and Stedman Gans complemented each other superbly last season, and the likes of Marco Jansen van Vuren and Stravino Jacobs are also pushing for starting spots.

Those four backs have flourished in the Bulls’ more attacking approach, which has seen them mix up their physicality up front with lashes of flair and enterprise with ball in hand.

While coach White is in charge, former Western Province flyhalf Chris Rossouw is the backline coach, and the silky touches from his game are evident at the Bulls, too.

“Many times people have regarded Blue Bulls rugby as this ‘stampkar’ type of rugby, and it’s nice for us (to attack) – especially as we now have a very big pack of forwards … it’s a dream for any back to play behind forwards who go forward,” Potgieter said this week.

“You play beautiful rugby and score beautiful tries. That is why we did so well, because we actually did other things that we don’t normally do.

“I think it caught many of the other teams off-guard.”

Now Potgieter, a former SA Under-20 player, is also looking to make a name for himself while Gans is out injured.

He will hope to get an opportunity in the new Rainbow Cup SA against the Lions, after the clash between the teams scheduled for this Saturday was cancelled yesterday following a change in the competition format.

The revised schedule has not yet been confirmed, but the first weekend will see the Bulls host the Lions at Loftus, while the Stormers take on the Sharks in Cape Town.

“If I get the chance, I definitely want to be ready to be able to do it. I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot by not being prepared and then possibly not proving myself if I get a chance,” Potgieter said about his selection chances going forward.

If he does face the Lions, he will come up against Wandisile Simelane, who was chosen as the SA Young Player of the Year last season.

“He’s an outstanding player. I have been playing against him since school, and he was always one of the toughest guys to play against,” Potgieter said.

“His skills are so diverse that he can do anything – you never know what he is going to do.

“It’s always great to test yourself against the best, so if I get a chance, I will give my best.”