When the British and Irish Lions were touring South Africa in 2021, the lack of fight provided by the local teams in the tour games was embarrassing, but after three seasons of United Rugby Championship (URC) competition the franchise game has been restored to rude health.
It is probably fair to remember that when the Lions toured there was Covid. Tour games weren’t played in front of passionate supporters of the provinces and franchises, but in cavernously empty stadiums. The lack of atmosphere would have done nothing to inspire the rank and file provincial players to raise their games against the international teams as per past tradition.
But still, the impression given to UK journalists when the Lions and the Sharks, in the latter case twice, conceded more than half a century of points to the touring team was that provincial/regional rugby in this country was weak. The Bulls didn’t play the Lions, so the only team not to concede 50 was the Stormers - and the score in that game was 49-3.
It may not be a coincidence that there have been three years since that tour, and also three years of the URC. Much has changed in that time, and the extent of the Bulls’ achievement in beating Leinster in last week’s semi-final at Loftus is underlined by a glance through the Ireland squad list as Andy Farrell prepares to bring his world second-ranked team to South Africa.
If there is one place you don't want to find yourself, it's probably the Springbok scrum 🤧 pic.twitter.com/1mBnt0SuXe
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 20, 2024
Incredible depth
No less than 18 of the 35 players in the group play for Leinster. That’s more than one full starting team that are gaining experience by being part of an international squad. And there were Leinster players you might have expected to be there that were left out. Such as the two Byrne brothers, Ross and Harry. Plus two key injured players in scrumhalf Jackson Gibson-Park and the 46 times capped loose-forward Jack Conan.
How many Bulls players will be in the Springbok squad once they become available for the national squad post Saturday’s URC final against Glasgow Warriors? That is anyone’s guess, but there definitely won’t be 18.
If the Bulls do supply some newcomers, with Cameron Hanekom adding to national coach Rassie Erasmus’ dilemma when it comes to the back row, where he is spoilt for choice, it will be further confirmation of the role the URC is playing as a breeding ground for Springboks.
Jordan Hendrikse and Edwill van der Merwe were selected on the basis of their performances for the Lions while Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Ben-Jason Dixon are there courtesy of their exploits for the Stormers. The wider Bok group includes many others who have built their reputation in the URC.
The Stormers won the URC in the inaugural season so the Bulls won’t be breaking new ground for the country if they beat Glasgow in Saturday’s final, but what this past season did do was see the two local front-runners cross the frontier that marks them as potential top dogs in Europe.
Leinster, narrow losers in the last three Champions Cup finals, are one of three teams currently considered to be at the top in Europe - the others are the current champions Toulouse and the recently dethroned champions, La Rochelle. Toulouse are yet to be conquered by a South African team, but neither Leinster nor La Rochelle can say the same.
The Stormers beat La Rochelle in a Champions Cup pool game in Cape Town this past season. They were within a conversion of beating them again in the round of 16 clash, a game where La Rochelle came with all guns blazing and threw everything at their opponents.
La Rochelle aren’t a shadow France team in the way Leinster are Ireland, and Toulouse have more French international players than they do, but La Rochelle are close to a top international class team given the number of Galactico players from other countries they have on their books.
Franco Smith in that 1998 Currie Cup final 🤩
The Glasgow coach returns to Loftus where he inspired his side to the title with a flyhalf masterclass 🏆![CDATA[]]>🟦
Will he spoil the #VURC Grand Final for his old team? pic.twitter.com/lpGdicr3Yb
Moving on form Super Rugby era
Stormers coach John Dobson reckons they’d make the World Cup playoffs and he’s probably right.
In the Super Rugby era, the South African sides would sometimes come up against teams that had a strong All Black or Wallaby look or influence. But those teams weren’t further strengthened by players outside of those countries like the teams they encounter in the Champions Cup and the URC are. And it is hard to recall a Crusaders or Blues side providing 18 players to an All Black squad.
The caveat to the point about the Bulls and Stormers crossing a frontier with their performances and wins over Leinster and La Rochelle is that the games were played at home. But during that Lions tour three seasons ago you wouldn’t have imagined them being competitive against the top teams in Europe home or away.
Even last season when the Bulls and Sharks came well short in Champions Cup playoff games against Toulouse, the South African competitiveness with the top dogs of Europe still seemed some way off.
It seems a lot closer now. The Sharks didn’t shape in the URC this past season, which considering the quality on their team sheet just further endorses the strength of the competition, but for the other two sides, plus the fast improving Lions who at the start of the season had no current Springboks and now have two, there has been considerable growth.
It may appear the Stormers have gone backwards after winning the URC in the first year and now ending fifth, but the Cape side has considerably more depth to draw on now, and the same for the Bulls.
That growth and the experience of competing with and beating the best teams in Europe can only be good for the Boks - and add to the growing headache, in a positive sense, Erasmus must have when he considers his selection options.
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