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Time for some Fantastic Four feats in Super Rugby

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The Fantastic Four of South African rugby begin their Super Rugby campaign.
The Fantastic Four of South African rugby begin their Super Rugby campaign.

In a way, it’s fitting that the SA Super Rugby teams will wear Marvel’s Superhero jerseys when they play each other in the local derbies – our franchises have been due a superhero injection after years of making up numbers in the competition. Simnikiwe Xabanisa takes a long, hard look at their chances in this year's competition 

Bulls

Coach: Pote Human

Captain: Lood de Jager

Strengths: John Mitchell leaving them high and dry last year by opting for World Cup glory as England assistant coach, combined with Human being the Bulls’ third-choice coach, can be read as having put the three-time champions on the back foot this season. But not only have they retained most of the squad that promised much without delivering anything last year, they have added Schalk Brits’ experience and Duane Vermeulen’s unique combination of grunt and bloody-mindedness.

While Human is seen as a career assistant coach, he happens to have been there when Mitchell was head coach and is said to be a good man manager – something Mitch hasn’t always been accused of being.

Achilles heel: There is a possibility that Human could prove to be a career assistant coach and not Johan Ackermann, who picked up from where Mitchell left off at the Lions and delivered them two Super Rugby finals.

Hooker Brits, who turns 38 at the business end of the competition, may prove to only be good as a mentor as opposed to a player – let alone a starting one. Sevens machine Rosko Specman may not prove to be a seamless fit for 15s rugby, and Cornal Hendricks may not be the player he was prior to his heart problems.

But the Bulls’ biggest weakness is a defence that was joint second worst in the competition in shipping 66 tries in 16 games.

Over to you, Pine Pienaar.

Secret weapon/s: Back-up fly half Manie Libbok is as gifted as they come. Blessed with great hands, wonderful distribution and the ability to kick off either foot, the only issue with the former SA Under-20 utility player is his lack of consistency. If he does manage to lower the mercury in his play this season, watch out.

The other player flying under the radar at the Bulls is Specman’s former team-mate Dylan Sage, who is a much better centre than he has been given credit for.

How this Marvel movie ends

It would be silly to suggest that a team that finished stone last in its conference last year will win, but a more competitive Bulls side will at least crack a third place in the South African Conference.

Lions

Coach: Swys de Bruin

Captain: Warren Whiteley

Strengths: When it comes to charting a path to the Super Rugby final, the Lions have been there, done that. In this case, they’ve done it three times in the past three years. Few teams have as much recent history behind them, which also includes having lost just once to a South African side in 22 matches. They also still have world player of the year nominee Malcolm Marx, as well as Whiteley, Elton Jantjies, Lionel Mapoe and Andries Coetzee in their spine. These are players who are experienced and take over when the going gets tough.

Achilles heel: As good as their starting XV can be, there are questions around the depth behind them.

The Lions have lost Jacques van Rooyen, Ruan Dreyer, Franco Mostert, Jaco Kriel, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Howard Mnisi, which is a lot of players regardless of how outrageous the talent coming through is. The pressing things for them will be a lack of proven back-up for Marx and no recognised number four lock, and the fact that they won only one game on tour last season.

Secret Weapon/s: Tight head prop Carlü Sadie doesn’t come with a massive reputation, but he has pedigree having played junior rugby for South Africa, and he’s freakishly strong. By contrast, utility back Wandisile Simelane comes with a huge reputation, having played SA schools rugby and turned out for the SA Under-20s twice. The scary thing is, he’s worth the hype.

How this Marvel movie ends

Having come close three times and not converted the chances, logic would suggest that this is the year the Lions slip back a rung as they rebuild again. They’ll do well to be in the top five on the overall log, and don’t be surprised if they don’t win the South African Conference.

Sharks

Coach: Robert du Preez

Captain: Louis Schreuder

Strengths: When they get it right, the Sharks can play a frightening combination of direct rugby and offloading, as they showed on their tour of New Zealand last season.

The Sharks always have a strong pack of forwards and don’t seem to care how it looks, as long as they get the result (just ask Western Province about last year’s Currie Cup final).

Achilles heel: The issue is that one can never tell which Sharks team will turn up because they blow hot and cold, like the moods of coach Du Preez. For a team that has played to a pretty rigid structure under Du Preez, it’s amazing how inconsistent they can be.

Secret weapon/s: Utility back Aphelele Fassi is a young man in a hurry, based on his showings in last season’s Currie Cup.

His ability to play fullback may well free up Curwin Bosch to play in his real position at fly half while Super Rugby teams outside South Africa have no clue who he is, which means he could hurt them.

The acquisition of attack coach Dave Williams, who was in the same position for the Kings when they ran rings around teams in their last Super Rugby season, may well be a masterstroke.

How this Marvel movie ends

With the Sharks, it’s always tough to say where they might end up. But given that they are the one team that has consistently given the Lions the hurry-up, don’t be surprised if they take over the mantle of South African Conference leader.

Stormers

Coach: Robbie Fleck

Captain: Siya Kolisi

Strengths: The Stormers arguably almost always have the best talent in the country. Their pack is freakishly strong, with old stagers like Bok props Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Wilco Louw, Kolisi and South African player of the year Pieter-Steph du Toit nicely complemented by budding meanies such as JD Schickerling, Salmaan Moerat and Cobus Wiese, as well as human wrecking ball Juarno Augustus. We haven’t even spoken about the sudden options at fly half, centre and in the back three.

Achilles heel: Said depth did little to advance their cause last year, as a propensity to shoot themselves in the foot by either having their coaches squabbling or their administrators dropping the ball almost always spills over into what they do on the field. Owing to how indeterminate their style or playing pattern has been since he took over, there will always be question marks over Fleck’s coaching.

Secret weapon/s: Including Western Province head coach John Dobson and his defence coach Norman Laker in the Stormers should help give direction to the coaching. Officially the breakdowns coach, Dobson’s strength is creating a winning culture in his teams.

From the playing side, it would be lovely to see winger Sergeal Petersen cut loose like he did in the Currie Cup, and watch what former Blitzbok Ruhan Nel can do at outside centre.

How this Marvel movie ends

If they ignore the fact that their administrators lurch from one crisis to another, the Stormers could well be the dark horses of South African rugby this Super Rugby season.

Super Rugby


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