The rare breed the Bulls treasure

The Bulls’ scrum frailties are well documented, but they may just have found the solution.

Currie Cup coach Gert Smal said the appointment of retired Springbok Werner Kruger, as a coaching consultant focused on working with the franchise’s front row forwards, may just be the remedy to those ills.

Kruger started working at Loftus Versfeld on Monday this week and the rare commodity that experienced and quality tighthead props are, he is expected to make a valuable contribution to the improvement of the Pretoria franchise’s scrums.

Currie Cup coach Gert Smal admitted this week that it is vital that their props are being “upskilled” as quickly as possible.

“It is great to have somebody with the amount of experience that Werner has,” Smal told a virtual media briefing.

“As they say: ‘The flyhalf reads a good game, but a prop feels a good game’.

“He can add a fair amount of value to the Bulls.”

Smal said Kruger will also have a ‘scouting’ role, identifying props that can come in the bulls set-up so he can train them up.

“He is a great person, with a lot of experience and I am looking forward to working with him.”

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The amount of work Kruger can do will depend on his availability, as he has full-time employment outside of the game.

The 36-year-old former Bok prop, before his retirement last year, was one of the most experienced tighthead props – having been capped well over 100 times each for the Bulls in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup, before adding another century of caps at Welsh club Scarlets, where he ended his playing career.

Kruger’s playing career at the Bulls began in 2003, moving to Wales in 2016, where he remained committed to Scarlets in Llanelli until last year.

He was part of the South African Under-21 team for two years (2005 and 2006), before his selection for the Emerging Springboks team in 2010.

Kruger earned four Springbok caps between 2011 and 2012.

@rugby365com