Jake White builds team with good mix of experience and young talent
As always, there is negativity among some Blue Bulls supporters about Jake White's future plans, but if one look beneath the surface, White managed to gather a formidable squad with which he wants to build a future champion team for the Bulls.
It’s no secret that the majority of South African rugby fans’ opinions about the game as such, as well as about coaches and players, are usually formed with a healthy dash of perceptions.
Discussions about the future of the Bulls, following the appointment of Jake White as new Rugby Director, are no exception and opinions based on perceptions are the order of the day. There is an almost wilful misconception among some supporters that White wants to build his promised winning team with so-called “has beens”.
This opinion is driven by the recruitment of some experienced players such as Duanne Vermeulen (number eight), Marcel van der Merwe (prop), Arno Botha (loose forward) and Gio Aplon (fullback/wing). Of these four, only Vermeulen (who will be 34 in July) and Aplon (37) are likely to be at the end of their careers, while Van der Merwe will turn 30 in October and Botha will only turn 29 later this year. The latter two have at least four to five more seasons left if they can remain injury-free.
Springbok winger Travis Ismaiel, who will also return to Loftus Versfeld in time for the Currie Cup season after a year in Europe, has just turned 27 and is in the prime of his career. If Ismaiel, who has only played one Test for the Springboks so far, shook off all his injury problems, he could still add a lot of value to the Bulls.
In the case of the return of Vermeulen and Aplon to South Africa, it probably has to do with next year’s British and Irish Lions tour. But in Botha’s case he made it clear that he is returning to Loftus to chase unfulfilled dreams and to win trophies with the Bulls. Van der Merwe wants to play for the Springboks again and believes his chances will improve if he plays for the Bulls.
Compared to these few older and experienced players, White recently announced the names of several of South Africa’s most talented and exciting young players who are part of his future plans.
The latest name among the youngsters is that of David Kriel (utility back), who will join the Bulls from the Stormers in Cape Town. He is the brother of Richard Kriel (fullback/centre), who is already considered at Loftus as a future superstar. The two brothers are now reunited at the Blue Bulls, after playing against each other in the national under-21 final last year – Richard for the Blue Bulls and David for WP.
Together with these two brothers, the Bulls have young newcomers like Walt Steenkamp (24, lock) and Schalk Erasmus (22, hooker), while existing young stars such as Johan Grobbelaar (22, hooker), Gerhard Steenekamp (23, prop) and Muller Uys (21, loose forward) also all committed themselves to the Blue Bulls for two more seasons.
Along with these men, there will still be more quality players available for the future such as Trevor Nyakane (31, prop), Lizo Gqoboka (30, prop), Marco van Staden (24, loose forward), Ruan Nortje (21, lock), Ian Groenewald (27, lock), Corniel Els (26, hooker), Ryno Pieterse (21, lock/loose forward), Embrose Papier (23, scrum half) and Ivan van Zyl (24, scrum half).
So, there can be no doubt that the Bulls will have enough quality players in the next few seasons to compete against the very best, provided their team culture is sound, while the game plan and coaching must also be of the best standard.
The only position where the Bulls are likely to lack quality players is at flyhalf, but White is likely to address the shortcoming soon.
This gap is exacerbated when the Bulls confirmed that flyhalf Manie Libbok has decided to continue his career in Durban with the Sharks after five years at Loftus Versfeld.
The 22-year-old former Junior Springbok and SA Schools star is only the fourth top player, who represented the Bulls at SuperRugby level, to break his ties with the union. The other three are Springbok fullback Warrick Gelant, utility back Johnny Kotze and former Blitzbok Dylan Sage.
There is still uncertainty about the future of other players such as centre Burger Odendaal, loose forward Stoney Steenkamp as well as the wings Rosko Specman and Cornal Hendricks.
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