Super Rugby Rants and Raves: Round 18

This weekend, my Independent Media’s Rants and Raves (for IOL), focuses on the positive impact that the series-winning Bok players had on their respective Super Rugby sides, while it also highlights the Stormers’ failure of a season.

TOP RAVE

It was pleasing to see the impact of so many Springboks who played in the June series win against England. The Bulls duo of Warrick Gelant and Handre Pollard were exceptional on attack in the win against the Jaguares, and Gelant’s brilliance on attack to set up his team’s first try also stopped the Jaguares’ momentum.

The visitors had led 19-0 after 19 minutes when Gelant conjured up a magical play to ignite the Bulls, who thereafter scored five more tries. Stormers centre Damian de Allende was equally imposing in his attack, as well as his decision-making and passing.

TOP RANT

There is nothing positive to take from the Stormers season. Thankfully the torture is over. The Stormers won just six from 16 matches and if the Bulls get just one league point from their last match against the Lions then the Stormers will end fifth out of five in the South African conference. They will also end outside the tournament’s top 10. It’s a shocking return for a region that should always be in the play-offs.

The excuses are weak and the talk that the Stormers coaches have always targeted 2019 as their season is an insult to those who in the past two seasons have paid to watch a team lose!

To read the rest of my talking points from this past weekend, visit iol.co.za