Young guns give Bulls depth
The past year was a forgettable period for the Bulls, but they believe some good has come from their campaigns in the last 12 months.
Having scraped into the Currie Cup play-offs with a late-season rally, where they lost to eventual champions Western Province in the semifinal, and barely finished inside the top 10 in Super Rugby, even the most ardent supporters will admit they were well below the standards set during their successful run between 2002 and 2010.
They won four Currie Cup titles and shared one (between 2002 and 2009), while also winning three Super Rugby titles (2007, 2009 and 2010).
However, having lost more than 50 senior players in the three-year period since their last title – some retired and a substantial number to lucrative contracts abroad – the Bulls have been looking to rebuild in the hope of scaling the same heady heights.
Their pre-season has not started that well either, with Springbok Flip van der Merwe in a race against time to be fit for the start of the Super Rugby season, after a freak injury in training – when he tore his pectoral muscle doing dips and was forced to undergo surgery.
Despite all the negativity and jaundiced views of so-called 'pundits' about the franchise, Bulls coach Frans Ludeke believes they can start the long road back to the top in 2015.
In an exclusive interview with rugby365, Ludeke said there were "big expectations" within the squad of next year – after they got closure on the mistakes of 2014.
They are certainly looking to make some "adjustments" to their game, but it is the young talent that came through the ranks this year that could do the trick for them next year.
The new generation, along with some astute off-season signings – which include Springboks Adriaan Strauss and Trevor Nyakane, Cheetahs star loose forward Pieter Labuschagné and Sevens Bok Jamba Ulengo – the player resources are looking very healthy.
"What excited us most from the Currie Cup competition was the young players that came through and now had a taste of senior provincial rugby," Ludeke told rugby365.
"They came through that test and have now added depth to the group, the wider squad.
"Some of those guys put their hands up to be regulars and that is the competition you want in any squad.
"We all know there will be injuries in Super Rugby and you must have the back-up to fill those gaps."
The Bulls mentor said he expects those players to not only hold their own, but add "something different".
"The last few years a bunch of young guys have come through in the Currie Cup and we now have that depth in the squad."
The Bulls are currently working with an extended squad of 55 players, but in January they have to send their final trimmed-down squad of 30-odd to SANZAR.
By Jan de Koning
@King365ed
