Sharks: Scrumhalf stable
The Sharks have been playing a delicate balancing act between blooding as many youngsters as possible into the senior team and keeping enough grizzly veterans to keep level heads on the field. Having young scrumhalves is great for the salary cap as South African teams are allowed 45 contracted players and a R60 million cap on spending. The Players of National Interest (PONI) get money from SA Rugby and the franchises have to pay the balance of the contracts. This means that in some positions you have to take risks with less sought after, younger players who cost less and the Sharks showed this with the scrumhalves they signed. Jaden Hendrikse, Sanele Nohamba and Grant Williams are young exciting half backs who all have bright futures in the game but have not cut their teeth in cold, rainy British Saturdays that they will surely encounter in the PRO 16. What they do have is very sound fundamentals and a healthy competitive environment which will make all 3 into better players. Expect 2 out of the 3 to feature in the upcoming SA A team.
Lions: Vincent Tshituka
The Lions have dropped off since the Super Rugby highs with Johan Ackerman and sometimes look like they are lacking some direction on the field. During this rebuilding phase it is a great time to re-establish your core identity and run with it. Vincent Tshituka embodies the Lions ethos through and through, he has a huge engine and always looks willing to get involved in all aspects of the game. The Lions will struggle to recruit the Pieter-Steph du Toits of the world so what they need are Swiss Army Knives all across the field. What they need are wingers who can contest the ball, flanks who can sidestep and most importantly the ability to outrun bigger, more talented outfits. Vincent is all of those wrapped into one which bodes well for the future of the franchise. If they can recruit players like Vincent they will be able to compete against the likes of the Bulls, Sharks and also against overconfident European teams who think they can outrun the Lions at altitude.
Stormers: Edwill van de Merwe
The Stormers have had a torrid year mainly due to the constant very public issues around the boardroom that look far from over. On the field John Dobson has done a great job keeping the team focused on the job at hand and they have shown steady progress as a team. None more so than livewire Edwill van de Merwe who scored a pivotal long range try against the Sharks proving the difference in the game. He has the same ability as a young JP Pietesen to look like he is in third gear but actually moving with real speed and purpose. He has the X-factor ability to beat players one on one which is now becoming a precious commodity in the modern game. We hear of manipulating defences to get mismatches all the time from coaches and what they mean is a fast guy beating a slow guy but what Edwill offers is the ability to beat anyone, fast or slow, one on one. For Edwill to really excel the Stormers need to direct the midfield either through a direct powerful 12 or clever ball handlers to get space on the outside. They currently have players in the centre who are proficient at both but not outstanding in either which to me is their biggest recruiting need in the squad. Juan de Jong should be an incredible addition to fill the void.
Bulls: Cornal Hendricks
Cornal Hendricks has had a tumultuous career to say the least, from the highs of being a Springbok to the lows of being told you will never play again. The Bulls and Jake White saw something that no one else did and he is now considered one of the premier number 12’s in the country. He has the vision that made him a devastating sevens star coupled with uncompromising physicality needed at the inside centre birth. I truly think Jake White’s gift is not the X’s and O’s because his teams play a simple game plan that is more about execution than bells and whistles but rather about seeing the ability in players that no one else does. For years he has gone against the grain on selections and for years we have questioned them but more often than not he has got them right. Cornal would never have been signed again and his immense talent would have been lost the scrapheap of South African Springbok talent. He has all the attributes of a modern inside centre which in hindsight makes absolute sense after watching him but no one saw it except Jake. Like most rugby fans I cannot wait to see what Jake has up his sleeves and will watch the position movement of Jan-Hendrik Wessels closely to see if this is his next genius move.
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