Bulls skipper Handré Pollard and Stormers stalwart Siya Kolisi agree that competing against the New Zealand sides during the conference stage will benefit the Africa 1 contenders in the long run. JON CARDINELLI reports.
Love it or hate it, the four-conference Super Rugby format will remain in place for at least one more season. In 2017, the three South African teams from the Africa 1 conference will battle against the five franchises from New Zealand. The three local teams from Africa 2 will face off against the less intimidating sides from Australia.
At a glance, it would appear as if the latter group is at an advantage. The All Blacks have been Test rugby’s No 1-ranked side since 2010, while the New Zealand franchises have accounted for 14 of the 21 Super Rugby titles since the tournament’s inception in 1996. It follows that the teams that avoid the Kiwis during the conference stage will stand a better chance of amassing sufficient log points and ultimately securing home advantage in the playoffs.
Yet, the 2016 tournament highlighted the cons of competing on the ‘easier’ side of the draw. Stormers coach Robbie Fleck and captain Schalk Burger said as much in the wake of the Cape franchise’s humiliating 60-21 loss to the Chiefs in the quarter-final staged at Newlands. Both men stated that the Stormers, and indeed all the other teams, should have been competing against the trend-setting New Zealanders from the outset.
As it was, the Stormers avoided the Kiwis and cruised through the conference stage. They were not ready for the higher standard of competition in the playoffs.
By contrast, the Lions and Sharks, South Africa’s two strongest teams in the Africa 2 conference, benefited from the challenge of playing the New Zealanders. The Sharks advanced to the playoffs, while the Lions progressed to the grand final.
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In 2017, the Lions and Sharks will avoid the Kiwis. This could make for an easier path to the playoffs. It could also see them dropping their standards.
Fans of the Bulls and Stormers may be concerned, though. If the Bulls failed to qualify for the playoffs while competing on the easier side of the draw in 2016, what chance do they have in a 2017 season where they will face all five New Zealand sides?
The Stormers won their conference in 2016 and boasted one of the best defensive records in the tournament. But was that defensive record a fair reflection of their abilities? The fact that they conceded eight tries to the Chiefs in the quarter-final suggests not.
That said, the players and coaches believe that the 2017 competition will aid their development both in the short and long term. Handré Pollard, who recently made his return from injury and captained the Bulls in a pre-season win against the Chiefs, said that he prefers a trial by fire.
‘As a player, you want to measure yourselves against the best in the world on a regular basis,’ Pollard told SARugbymag.co.za. ‘That challenge can bring out the best in you.
‘Sometimes in those clashes you can surprise yourself. You push yourself to compete at a higher level. I’m looking forward to those games against the New Zealand sides this year, I can’t wait to see how this young Bulls side handles them.’
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Kolisi is another Springbok player who missed most of last season because of injury. With Schalk Burger and Duane Vermeulen now playing in Europe, Kolisi is one of the most experienced forwards at the Stormers. Like Pollard, he feels that his team needs to be exposed to the New Zealanders on a regular basis.
‘It’s a great challenge,’ Kolisi told SARugbymag.co.za. ‘They’ve been the leaders in Super Rugby, and indeed world rugby, for some time now. We at the Stormers have to see this as an opportunity to make our mark against the best.
‘We didn’t have that chance last year, and to be honest what happened in the quarter-final against the Chiefs was embarrassing. We want to make up for that in 2017.’
The Bulls will travel to New Zealand to face the Blues (25 March) and Chiefs (1 April). They will host the Crusaders (6 May), Highlanders (13 May) and Hurricanes (27 May) later in the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Stormers will face all five New Zealand teams in a six-week period. After hosting the Chiefs on 8 April, they will play the Lions. Thereafter, they will tour New Zealand for three weeks, facing the Crusaders, Highlanders and Hurricanes. The Stormers will play the Blues at Newlands in the very next round.
Photo: Gallo Images
