Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2020 i SA RUGBY

What a joy it is to write this after the long-awaited return of competitive action. The road to resumption has been filled with obstacles for SA Rugby to overcome, but as our cover feature suggests, there is plenty of cause for celebration. The game has undergone considerable change since competitions were suspended in March, and there has been extensive work on and off the field for South Africa to finally reach the point where rugby could be rebooted with a new-look domestic competition. We chat to the coaches and players as they start afresh while adjusting to a unique match-day experience. In a Bulls squad that has undergone significant restructuring, Duane Vermeulen has taken on the captaincy duties, and he chats to SA Rugby magazine about working with new coach…

IT’S FELT LIKE A SNEAK ATTACK. FIRST WE HEARD WE’RE OUT OF PRO14 AND THEN OUT OF THE CURRIE CUP.IT'S VERY SAD’-Kings stalwart Schalk Ferreira ‘The history of the Kings has been one of expectation and anticipation but unfortunately the parallel story of commercial failure couldn’t be wished away any longer’-SA Rugby president Mark Alexander R55M THE COMPANY’S ACCUMULATED DEFICIT THAT TRIGGERED LIQUIDATION 'WITH NO FANS THIS AUTUMN WE WILL SEE A £122m REDUCTION IN REVENUE RESULTING IN A LOSS OF £46m AMD WITH NO FANES FOR THE SIX NATIONS WE WILL SEE A £138m REDUCTION IN REVENUE WITH A LOSS OF £60м’-RFU CEO Bill Sweeney ‘The worst-case scenario, and it’s not scare-mongering to say we would have to look at this, is that the industry would die across the board’- Sale Sharks…

RUGBY CAREER A hard-as-nails flank and a fierce competitor, Boom Prinsloo always played like a man possessed, whether it was for Shimlas, the Cheetahs, Bulls or Btitzboks. Prinsloo rose to prominence in the 2010 Varsity Cup, where his swashbuckling performances for Shimlas saw him chalk up seven tries in eight matches, earned him the Player of the Tournament award and led to call-ups to the Cheetahs’ Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup teams as well as selection in the Blitzboks squad for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. The proudest moment of my career was the first time I was selected to play for the Springbok Sevens,’ Prinsloo tells SA Rugby magazine. But while he packed a lot into his sevens career - a Commonwealth Games bronze medal coupled with…

Duane Vermeulen laughs when he’s reminded about plans that were put in place immediately after the Springboks’ World Cup victory in Japan. The South African franchises were meant to kick on and challenge for the Super Rugby trophy. The Boks, with new coach Jacques Nienaber and director of rugby Rassie Erasmus calling the shots, were meant to use the Tests against Scotland and Georgia - scheduled for July - to blood new players and try new combinations. The Boks were meant to ride the momentum of three Test wins into the Rugby Championship and the subsequent tour to the northern hemisphere. By early 2021, Nienaber and Erasmus expected to have a host of experienced options across all positions at their disposal. They felt that they would be more than well…

Before the resumption of local competition, Stormers coach John Dobson said the team’s halfbacks had particularly focused on their kicking game during ‘pre-season’ training. One area where the Stormers struggled during the regular Super Rugby campaign earlier this year was with their territory gain through the boots of halfbacks Herschel Jantjies and Damian Willemse. This was evident during the team’s two successive losses to the Blues and Sharks just before the campaign was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic in mid-March. ‘Those last two games we lost, the Sharks and the Blues, one was 38% territory and one was 39% territory,’ said Dobson. That big pack - so Springbokladen - are used to playing in the right parts of the field. That’s where they get their energy from, being close to…

Some players head overseas and fall off the radar. Others make their money but hover among the middle of the pack. Others excel, taking their game to the next level. It goes without saying that Cheslin Kolbe falls smack bang into the latter category. You only have to reflect on some of the comments from onlookers in France to realise what an impact he has made at French club Toulouse over the past three years. ‘In many ways, he was made for Toulouse and their unique brand of unstructured, counterattacking rugby,’ says veteran French journalist Arnaud David. Or how about this appraisal from former Bordeaux and Bayonne coach Vincent Etcheto: Tn a rugby game that can often become claustrophobic, where we are often suffocating, he brings oxygen every time he…

How have you settled in Durban, given that you have spent so much of your life in Joburg? It has been absolutely amazing. Great people and fantastic teammates have made my stay a pleasant one. Everyone is so friendly. I am only a couple of minutes away from the beach. So there is always something to do to get your mind off things. The lifestyle in Durban is not as hectic as in Joburg. Everything feels a bit more relaxed. The Sharks having such a fantastic run before the lockdown made things a lot sweeter for me too. Given your relationship with the Lions and Joburg, was it tough to leave the franchise? There were a lot of emotions involved, that is for sure. Literally everything I knew growing up…

Former New Zealand coach Steve Hansen got his fellow coaches all nostalgic when he recently declared that league convert Sonny Bill Williams was the greatest athlete he had coached in a 24-year career which has taken in the sights of the Crusaders, Wales and the All Blacks. Locals John Dobson, Nick Mallett, Brendan Venter and Paul Treu have also looked into the recesses of their minds for the athlete who excited them above others in a working environment densely populated by athletes, and some couldn’t limit themselves to one ... JOHN DOBSON STORMERS COACH For me it’s Cheslin Kolbe by a mile. That’s because he’s tough, has a great work ethic and I’ve never seen anyone who can beat somebody in such a small space - I’ve never seen feet…

In the second half of September, South African rugby suffered two setbacks that should have been traumatic because of their significance. Instead it registered a 2.2 on rugby’s Richter Scale. The liquidation of the Kings, followed by the Cheetahs’ omission from Pro14 rugby meant teams in two of South Africa’s traditionally talent-rich regions have effectively been left for dead. To underline these regions’ significance, consider that the 2007 World Cup-winning Springbok squad was laden with men who originate from Bloemfontein and its surrounds and/or attended the city’s rugby powerhouse, Grey College. This includes the tournaments breakout star, Frans Steyn. The 2019 World Cup-winning Springbok squad had a powerful Eastern Cape-born contingent, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimipi among them. Lest we forget, the captain, Siya Kolisi, also hails from the Eastern…

15. TONDERAI CHAVHANGA When people talk about speed in our generation, Tondi is always top of that list. He also had no problem with being physical. He is Just special. 14. BRYAN HABANA I played with Bryan at U19 when he was a scrumhalf. It wasn’t obvious he would become a Springbok legend, but his work rate and intensity were undeniable. 13. KAMELI RATUVOU He had a gift to time his tackles from the opposition’s blindside. They never saw him coming. He also carried and offloaded very well. 12. THABANG MOLEFE Thabang was an integral part of the successful 2005 Junior Springbok team. I am disappointed he didn’t become a bigger name in South Africa. 11. FETU’U VAINIKOLO I played against him when he was at the Highlanders and with…

The Springbok coaching staff have much to ponder over the next six months or so. Whether or not they compete in the Rugby Championship, they will need to find one or two alternatives to Handre Pollard in that crucial flyhalf position before they tackle the British & Irish Lions in 2021. What many people forget is that the Boks went into the 2019 World Cup final without a specialist flyhalf on the bench - with respect to Frans Steyn, who is primarily a centre for club and country these days. While that selection did not impede the Boks’ march to glory, it left the question unanswered. Who is going to step into the void when Pollard is unavailable? DAMIAN WILLEMSEIS A LOT CLOSER TO POLLARD IN TERMS OF HIS PHYSICAL…

How did the opportunity to get Involved In the World 10s series come about? It just came out of the blue, really. I have been a consultant with Tiger Rugby before, working at some tournaments and coaching in the US with them. I got a call late one night Neil de Kock, who has also been working with Tiger Rugby, wanted to get an IPL’ Sevens tournament going, but it never quite took off. He and Paul Delport started chatting and sharing ideas and I got a call from Paul asking me to coach the side. It is quite an exciting concept, it’s a chance to get out and coach a bit. Also, tens leans more to sevens than fifteens, so that’s why we jumped on board. I asked Philip…

While the return of South African rugby comes as a welcome relief, It would be remiss to not acknowledge the full toll on the industry, particularly the manner in which the Kings were sent over the precipice into liquidation. The Valke Rugby Company has suffered the same fate, Border is under administration, while the Cheetahs have been chopped from the Prol4. Towards the end of September, it was confirmed that the board of SA Super Rugby (Pty) Ltd - which trades as the Southern Kings - had placed the insolvent company into voluntary liquidation to ‘secure the longer-term financial future’ of EP rugby. The shareholders - the Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) and SA Rugby - were reported to have taken the decision In the face of an accumulated deficit…

‘Competition brings the best out of players,’ says Springbok veteran Duane Vermeulen when he’s asked about South Africa’s abundance of No 8 options. ‘I’ve enjoyed watching guys like Dan du Preez performing for the Sale Sharks in the Premiership. Sikhumbuzo Notshe was in fantastic form for the Sharks in Super Rugby before lockdown. When you see younger guys like that performing, it’s another reminder that you can’t take anything for granted. ‘I’ve always believed nobody owns a Springbok jersey. You have to fight for the chance to wear that No 8 in every single game. If you get the chance, it’s because you’re the best man for the job, not because you have a reputation or anything like that. ‘If you look at my career, I don’t think there’s been…

There is a great Eben Etzebeth fable, enshrined in rugby legend, that feeds the narrative of physical freakery and rampant aggression attached to the giant lode. The story goes that as a pup at the Stormers, the franchise didn’t have dumbbells heavy enough to tax him. Their largest set of weights were simply too light. Like fishermen boasting about the record-breaking carp they coulda-woulda-shoulda landed, the internet is awash with tales of the insane volume of tin that Etzebeth supposedly throws around. ‘I’ve read somewhere that I can curl 80kg; I’m not sure anyone alive can do that,’ he says. ‘But the truth is, back in 20121 was starting out with the Stormers in pre-season and Steven Kitshoff and I - another really strong guy in the gym - were…

How has your career and life changed since joining the Sale Sharks? Moving to England was obviously a big decision. To be honest, I was at an immature stage in my life. It was definitely an emotional decision and not a calculated one. In the beginning, moving over was quite tough: adjusting to the weather and the people. It wasn’t always just sunshine and rainbows. It was a tough decision to make and after moving over here, as much as the club helped me and tried to make it as comfortable as possible, I found it quite challenging to settle in. In the first season I was a bit rusty after moving to Sale but in the second season, things started to pick up for me not just on the…

In those first weeks of Super Rugby this year, it felt like it may have just been a lucky start. The weather was good, the tracks were fast, the ball dry and Hoskins Sotutu was making plenty happen for the Blues. The rugby was furious and frantic and suited his natural athleticism and desire to play wide. He looked good, a natural ball player and decision-maker. But that only heightened the suspicion that he would disappear as the season edged towards winter and the rugby became grittier and more physical. But the longer the season went on, the more impressive Sotutu became. There’s substance to the 22-year-old. He does prefer to play a wider style of game but he’s shown that’s not all he’s got. The Blues had to dig…

CRAIG LEWIS SAYS SANELE NOHAMBA AND SIYA KOLISI One of the most joyful moments during the early rounds of Super Rugby was debutant Sánele Nohamba’s sensational match-winning try against the Bulls. It was a try that well and truly announced the 21-year-old’s arrival on the senior South African rugby landscape, with the former Junior Springbok displaying his pace and natural feel for the game. Blessed with talent in abundance, Nohamba looked set for a breakthrough Super Rugby season before competition was unceremoniously halted. Yet there is every reason to believe the youngster will be one to watch as live rugby finally resumes in South Africa. The Sharks have made no secret of the fact they are willing to back their youthful scrumhalves, which they will need to do after veteran…

From time to time we can all lose our way along the path of life for whatever reason, and sport is no different In fact, it is an intense form of life. The highs after a win or a good season can be almost euphoric, while the exact opposite can be said about a gut-wrenching loss or a season when the pre-season hype and offseason signings don’t quite add up. That’s life and that’s our beloved game of rugby. It will hurt you when you least expect and need it, but it will give you this incredible sense of belonging and absolute high when things fall in place. Recently, I experienced one of those days, and it made me believe once again that rugby is without a doubt the best…

■ 11 March: Covid-19 management committee meets for the first time. ■ 12 March: Prol4 season Is suspended Indefinitely. ■ 13 March: World Rugby cancels the women’s World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series tournament, that was due to be played in Stellenbosch on 28 and 29 March. ■ 13 March: SA Rugby cancels Junior Springbok home and away Internationals In April and May. ■14 March: Sanzaar suspends Super Rugby for the foreseeable future. ■ 16 March: SA Rugby suspends all national team training camps and business travel and orders cost savings: postpones kick off of SuperSport Rugby Challenge with a view to return to play on 25 April. ■ 16 March: SA Rugby announces actions and issues guidelines on safe practices to all rugby bodies. ■ 18 March: SA Rugby announces…

In July Eben Etzebeth was Invited to spend a weekend holidaying on the gorgeous French island of Corsica by Princess Charlene of Monaco, who was raised in South Africa. It also presented a chance meeting with Mixed Martial Arts star Conor McGregor. The two chatted and swapped stories. Life at Toulon, where Etzebeth has signed a new four-year deal just nine months into his first contract, certainly has its perks. ‘We had lunch, a barbecue, it was just nice to meet him, speak to him, hear what he Is about and what his plans are,’ says Etzebeth. ‘When I met him, he was down to earth, a family guy. It was just like you were chatting to one of your friends. You could see at any time, he was always…

Two and a half years after leaving Pretoria to explore career opportunities in Europe, Arno Botha has come home. After signing a two-year deal and undertaking to contribute as best he can towards Jake White’s ultimate goal for the Bulls, the former Junior Springbok captain is back at the union where he made his name. Back at his team. But while his career had not followed its projected path, the detours - which took Botha through the doors of London Irish in England and Munster in Ireland - have ensured he’s come full circle. ‘I gained so much in my professional and personal life while I was overseas. I grew up while I was there and matured in ways I hadn’t expected to,’ Botha tells SA Rugby magazine. Endorsed as…

The 56 Southern Kings players and staff members who lost their jobs when the franchise’s makeshift board decided to go into voluntary liquidation were understandably upset with the call and sought legal counsel to see if they could hold anyone accountable for the decision. When the Kings were withdrawn from participating in domestic competition it was with the understanding that this would save what money there was for salaries, and they were repeatedly given assurances that their contracts would be honoured. Yet there they were, a week after the announcement of the liquidation, posting crowdfunding videos for any donations to help them pay their bills because the Southern Kings board had pulled the rug from under them six days before payday. Given that the Kings are being liquidated for the…

‘I was struggling to sleep the night before. They told us we were going to get a phone call early in the morning so I reluctantly got up around 6:30am and didn’t get the call till 8. It was a lot of buildup but It was good news. ‘I let Dad know first and that conversation was pretty funny. I told him I made the team and he just went quiet, like: that’s awesome then, isn’t it? It was happy Fathers’ Day. ‘Being a young rugby player you always want to play for the All Blacks. I was not even thinking about it at the beginning of this year. I was trying to start for the Blues and play well for them. So I feel pretty lucky to have this…