All I want is for this team to play good rugby and win, says Nollis

PRETORIA: Outgoing Bulls coach Nollis Marais finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place in a battle for self-preservation and the greater good of his employers.

Already condemned to life as a Currie Cup coach after a dismal two year spell in Super Rugby which ended in him getting the axe, Marais was eager to use the Bulls’ last three Super Rugby matches, against the Sharks, Kings and Stormers, to blood in some of the players he will have at his disposal in the domestic season.

However, injuries have wreaked havoc with his plans and Marais will now resort to salvaging some pride is left in his last few days as head coach before former All Blacks coach John Mitchell takes over.

Any chances of the Bulls making the play-offs disappeared prior to the June international break after they were on the receiving end of heavy defeats at the hands of the Crusaders and Lions, while losses to the Highlanders and Hurricanes further compounded their dire situation.

Injuries to some of the promising youngsters means that Marais will again have to rely on the same underperforming players that have been at the root of him getting the chop.

Marais’ biggest problem is that many of the players that he has utilised in Super Rugby won’t be available for the Currie Cup competition due to national duty commitments and contracts with Japanese clubs.

The Bulls will need to find new locks, with Lood de Jager certain to be with the Springboks in the Rugby Championship, while RG Snyman and Jason Jenkins are heading off to Japan.

Flyhalf is also another area of concern for Marais, with Handre Pollard struggling with injuries and likely to be roped into the national team, while Tian Schoeman will head for France at the end of the season, leaving just Tony Jantjies and the inexperienced Josh Stander and Tinus de Beer.

There is a looming crisis at hooker, with captain Adriaan Strauss unavailable to play Currie Cup rugby according to his contract, while Edgar Marutlulle underwent an operation to his ankle and will be out for at least two months, leaving Jaco Visagie as the only experienced number two.

“At the moment I will have to go with the best players that we have at our disposal for the last three games. The Currie Cup will just have to wait but that first game against Griquas will be a massive challenge,” said Marais.

Marais remains hopeful, though, that something good can come out of their clash against the Sharks in Durban on Friday, especially with all of his national team players available.

With the likes of Jan Serfontein and Jesse Kriel featuring prominently for the Springboks while Warrick Gelant, Jason Jenkins and Trevor Nyakane also put in good performances for the SA ‘A’ side, Marais is holding on to the hope that the confidence from the national teams infiltrates into his side.

“It is a good thing that all these guys got an opportunity to play,” Marais said.

“All I want is for this team to play good rugby and win. It is about looking at the bigger picture.”