VIDEO: To load the Currie Cup with URC players or not
SPOTLIGHT: To use players from the United Rugby Championship in the Currie Cup or not, that is the question.
It is widely expected that Currie Cup coaches will be looking to load their teams with more senior personnel from the URC, but not all of these coaches share the same thoughts.
Sharks coach Joey Mongalo said he will stick with the same Currie Cup group for as long as possible to reward the players that have played up to now.
“Our theme for the Currie Cup is ‘Desperate Men’ and we asked the players to fight hard for this campaign. You can’t ask a player to be desperate and after ten games you drop him when the URC players come down,” Mongalo said.
“If we do that, we are lying to our players. In my head, the URC players have had their campaign of 20 games to play rugby. The guys in the Currie Cup have not had their full campaign.”
The coach was adamant that the Sharks will reward the players that have represented them at Currie Cup level up to now.
“We will definitely not use that approach at the Sharks. The only URC players that we might bring into the group, is when there are injuries, when a player loses form or when there is a positional need, like in the front-row.
“We don’t have enough front-rankers so typically we might bring in players fin those positons and when the need arises. The players that fought for the win in the second half or our game against the Pumas, were guys that have been there for the last ten games. We want to reward those players that have continuously worked hard.
“The Currie Cup is not a URC campaign, it is a ‘Desperate Men’ campaign,” Mongalo stressed.
The Stormers on the other hand have a completely different approach as they promised the players in the beginning of the season that there will be one squad for both these competitions.
Assistant coach Norman Laker explained that the Stormers, and the Currie Cup, will benefit with URC players taking over towards the business end of the competition.
“It is a privilege to play in both competitions. Obviously if they don’t play in the URC, we will put out the strongest side to play in the Currie Cup and it does lift the level of the competition as we reach the business end,” Laker said.
“It is important for the brand of the Currie Cup that the level of the competition stays the same. I think it is brilliant preparation for the youngsters as there are a few Under 20 guys in the set-up and for them to play with guys like Adré (Smith) and train against Springboks that won the World Cup and British and Irish Lions, just lifts you as a player.
“I think the level of engagement between the two groups is brilliant. So for us it will help them as developing players and for us in the competition going forward.”
The Bulls are in a desperate situation in seventh position on the Currie Cup table and it goes without saying that they will load their side to the brim with any available URC players going into the last four games while everyone juggles for a play-off spot.
