The Bulls flex their scrumming muscles
THE Bulls used to battle in the scrums at times in recent years, but that is quickly changing under the Jake White regime.
While the Stormers’ set-piece is regarded as the strongest scrum in the country by virtue of the fact that they have the Springbok Rugby World Cup-winning front row – Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe – the Bulls are flexing their muscles in that area as well.
The Pretoria side’s front three of Lizo Gqoboka, Johan Grobbelaar and Trevor Nyakane got better and better as the season wore on, and were dominant in helping the team win the Currie Cup.
And while the Eastern Province Elephants can hardly be seen as a competitive team in the current Kick-off 2021 preparation series, the Bulls’ back-up front row of Gerhard Steenekamp, Joe van Zyl and Mornay Smith were again impressive in the 87-10 onslaught at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
It was not only the trio’s scrummaging that came to the fore but their ball-skills in the tight loose as well.
All three front-rankers handled the ball with aplomb, and even got offloads away in the tackle, with Van Zyl opening the scoring.
That is not to mention another solid loosehead prop in the experienced Jacques van Rooyen, who played a vital part in last season’s success in the initial absence of injured Springbok Gqoboka.
“We’ve got unbelievable props. A guy like Jan-Hendrik Wessels, if you consider above him, you’ve got Lizo, Jacques van Rooyen and Gerhard Steenekamp, that bodes well. If that guy is only number four, things can only be positive,” White said after the EP match.
“If you look at Grobbies (Grobbelaar), Schalk (Erasmus) and Joe (van Zyl), and Janko Uys off the bench, it’s four really good hookers. And they are all much of a muchness when it comes to age, so in that position, we are relatively strong.”
Building such deep pools of depth bodes well for the Rainbow Cup, where the scrum battle is sure to be more challenging.
Having so many options would allow White to mix and match combinations – even during matches, much like the Boks did at the World Cup, with the ‘Bomb Squad’ front row of Kitshoff,
Malcolm Marx and Vincent Koch ensuring that the heat remains at full-blast in the set-piece.
The Bulls boss is also moulding the rest of the bench options for the Rainbow Cup, which is scheduled to start next month, particularly in the loose trio, where White said Marco van Staden and Ivan van Zyl will leave the team in July – the No 6 is set to join Leicester in England, while Van Zyl has already signed for Saracens.
Nizaam Carr impressed with his leadership skills and ability to be a link-man between backs and forwards against EP, while Embrose Papier and youngster Keagan Johannes caught the eye with their strike-power and decision-making.
The Bulls will be in action again on Tuesday when they travel to Mpumalanga to take on the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium.
THE Proteas Women are on tour in India, where they will play five One-Day Internationals and three T20Is in a bio-secure environment in Lucknow.
ZAAHIER ADAMS takes a closer look at five head-to-head clashes to look out for in the ODI series starting on Sunday.
SMRITI MANDHANA V LAURA WOLVAARDT
Mandhana is to Indian women's cricket what Wolvaardt is hoping to become. The 24-year-old was also once a teen prodigy like Wolvaardt has been, but has since matured into the mainstay of India's batting unit.
In 51 ODIs, Mandhana has accumulated 2 025 runs at average of 43.05, which includes 17 halfcenturies and four centuries.
Wolvaardt’s, still only 21, career record is almost identical with her 1 996 runs coming in 53 matches at 45.36, with also 17 fifties but two hundreds less.
Their form during the upcoming ODI series will be vital to the overall success of their respective teams over the coming weeks.
JHULAN GOSWAMI V SHABNIM ISMAIL
The more operative comparison would have been Ismail up against Shikha Pandey, but the Indian selectors have left out the pace bowler in a bid to grow the squad's fast bowling depth.
The home team have, though, retained the veteran Goswami to help guide the youngsters.
Ismail, meanwhile, may be 32 but the fiery fast bowler is in the form of her life at the moment after just being named ICC Women's Cricketer of the Month.
POONAM YADAV V SUNE LUUS
Ordinarily this would be Yadav against Proteas captain Dané van Niekerk, but with the skipper still ruled out the responsibility once again falls on Luus' shoulders, not to only lead the team, but also take on the leg-spinning duties.
Yadav, though, is a class act that regularly has the best batters in the world in a spin.
Luus, meanwhile, is not in the same class as Yadav, but she is the most experienced of South Africa's spin trio alongside Tumi Sekhukhune and Nonkululeko Mlaba and will need to lead the way.
MITHALI RAJ V MIGNON DU PREEZ
Raj is the queen of Indian Women's cricket, having represented the national team for over two decades.
The classy batter holds almost every record imaginable, but still has the burning desire of a teenager to succeed. Du Preez, equally, is approaching the twilight of career, but like Raj, her team still values her runs in the middle-order.
DEEPTI SHARMA V MARIZANNE KAPP
These two all-rounders are invaluable to their respective teams. Like Kapp, Sharma enjoys the "floater" role and is ready to come in at any time depending on the match situation. Her off-spinners are also more than decent.
Kapp, meanwhile, is the heart that beats within the Proteas team and is geared up for any challenge. An accomplished new ball bowler, Kapp is a genuine threat up front.
Equally with the bat, she plays in an aggressive manner with her strike-rate rarely at anything below run a ball.