Those who fear the pressure to win will see the South African teams creep back into their conservative shelves in PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA should have had those fears allayed by what the coaches had to say on the eve of the competition’s kick-off.
The competition that starts with an appetising coastal showdown between the Stormers and Sharks at Cape Town Stadium as part of an opening round Saturday double header will feature each team playing just six games and will be concluded in seven weeks. As Sharks coach Sean Everitt, that will ratchet up the pressure as there is no room for error.
“We are not going to Cape Town with the purpose of putting one over the Stormers, we are going to Cape Town knowing that we need to win and that because there are only six games the teams that lose in the opening round will be under massive pressure,” said Everitt.
“The losing teams in the opening round will have just five games to come back and restore their challenge. It is not like one of those longer competitions where there is more room for error.”
Stormers coach John Dobson agrees with his Sharks counterpart and hopes that the pressure of needing to win every game will not lead the teams to eschew the more aesthetically pleasing playing styles adopted during a highly entertaining preparation phase to this competition.
The willingness of coaches to experiment with their selections in the preparation phase was matched by adventurous game plans that were a far cry from the unimaginative rugby that was criticised in the Super Rugby Unlocked and Currie Cup competitions that marked South Africa’s return to play from the Covid hiatus.
The Bulls won both competitions playing what you might call a traditional Bulls style - there was a heavy accent on forward dominance, strong defence and territorial ascendancy. However it wasn’t just about that, and the fact many regarded Cornal Henricks, retreaded by coach Jake White from wing to centre, as the hero of the Bulls’ triumph was testimony to the firepower that the Pretoria team does have at the back.
White has a reputation for being a no nonsense coach who coaches his tea to win rather than entertain but on the eve of his team’s Rainbow Cup campaign, which starts with them hosting the Lions at Loftus, he strongly intimated there’d be more to his team’s game than just the quest for the bottom line.
After choosing a team that he agreed emphasised athleticism above the brute force that is perceived as the traditional Bulls strength, he made little secret of his desire to see his players play a fast, pacy game.
“The team I’ve picked are all good athletes and good ball players. I’m hoping the weather stays dry for the game, it is a bit rainy today (Friday) but I’m hoping the sun comes out,” said White.
“If this team plays the way we can play, and keeps the ball alive, and attacks the way we can it will be good. It is a nice team to keep the ball alive and try and play that style of rugby.”
The Currie Cup final between the Bulls and Sharks at Loftus was a war of attrition, with the visitors employing a strategy heavily accented towards contestable kicking that nearly won them the coveted trophy.
But while had they ended on the winning side the end for the Sharks might have justified the means, instead what was remembered was missed place kicks and a perception that the Sharks didn’t make the most of their possession and their talented outside backs. Everitt said afterwards it was a horses for courses approach, and in the build-up to this new season he reminded everyone of the challenges that might have dictated the way the Sharks played in the summer months.
“We all know that the weather we have to contend with in Durban in summer is a huge challenge for us and it does dictate the way we want to play. It would be suicidal to carry the ball too much in humid conditions, which turn every game into a wet weather game,” said Everitt.
“But I don’t think there is any doubt about the rugby we want to play, and enjoy playing. The weather we will be playing this competition in will mean that while contestable kicking will remain a big part of our game because it is a strength, we will be less one dimensional in our approach than maybe we were last season. May and June is the best time of year to play rugby in Durban.”
The Sharks, with their X-factor laden backline, certainly have the players to capitalise on a ball in hand approach, and they showed that during the preparation phase. So do the Stormers, and even though Dobson acknowledges it would be foolish to completely ignore his teams forward strengths, he has promised a more energetic and attacking approach from his men.
With Wandesile Simelane set to become a world beater at outside centre and with flanker Vincent Tshituka in excellent form in the warmup phase, plus a couple of promising youngsters itching to get out there and get noticed, it almost goes without saying that the Lions will play entertaining rugby. A fast paced game has become part of their DNA.
“We are hoping to stay with the Bulls and then in the last 20 minutes, with six forwards coming off the bench, lift the tempo,” said their coach Ivan van Rooyen after choosing a young team that looked tailored to employ an attacking game at Loftus.
With the Bulls seemingly choosing a team to match that intent, it could be quite a game. Indeed, it could be quite a seven weeks!
Round One PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA fixtures (both Saturday)
DHL Stormers v Cell C Sharks (Cape Town, 14.00)
Vodacom Bulls v Emirates Lions (Pretoria, 19.00)