Players to watch in the Super 14

Bulls

Established

Fourie du Preez. The IRB brainfart notwithstanding, he was indisputably head, shoulders and socks above every other player in the world last year. The question this year will be whether he can maintain that level of performance and even more crucially, what that will mean for his fitness and motivation levels heading into 2011 where we really need him to fire. He is an utter professional so his determination cannot be doubted, and Super 14 success for SA rests on him maybe more so than any other player. But should the Bulls maybe be looking into giving Frank Hougaard and Heine Adams more game time so as to optimise Fourie’s fitness and minimise fatigue?

Young

Dewaldt Potgieter and Mahlatse Rallepelle.

Both age group stars who have taken to senior level rugby like they born for it. One has had his career stunted by injury and just plain poor player management. If he is to have any chance of cementing his Bok place for 2011 and possible captaincy beyond, this is the year he must seize upon the brass ring with both hands and truly show his mettle and (more importantly) staying power. Else he may just lose his Bok Captain in waiting status to his team-mate Dewaldt. Heinrich Brussouw showed last year what a ball on the ground fetcher brings to the Bok mix and young Potgieter has exactly the same beavering and burgling endeavour to force his way into the Bok midweek team last November. This is the season everyone will be watching to see if he delivers on his undoubted promise. There is probably no better environment for him to flourish than in the winning Bulls set-up. Expect a big year from him.

Lions

Established

(King) Carlos Spencer — not established for the Lions but he was there at the very inception of Super Rugby and his years in the slush should have added an extra structured bent bow to his overflowing basket of tricks. The Lions have a decent enough set of forwards. Not dominating but they need fear none but the best. It’ll be up to Carlos then to use the ball productively and set the backline off. If he fires, so will the Lions. If he fails, well … eish. It will also be interesting to see if Earl Rose can continue on the impressive note he ended 2009 on. He has always had talent, but now looks to have added consistency to the mix. And hope he and Carlos don’t have a simultaneous off-day. That could be ugly.

A special welcome back to Captain Fantastic Wikus!

Young

Burton Francis.

Showed at the Bulls that he has the makings of a quality pivot. But with Morne Steyn ahead of him in the pecking order and Jacque Louis Potgieter making a heralded return from his Bloemfontein sojourn, playing time was always going to be at a premium for the gifted youngster. Now he has a great chance to shine under the tutelage and mentoring of an experienced pivot like Carlos Spencer and being guided by as wily a former midfield maestro as Dick Muir. He will not be a starting option certainly, but should get enough time to show he can adapt to this level and if he does, you cannot rule out a place in the larger Bok squad should Peter de Villiers look to widen the 2011 selection pool.

Cheetahs

Juan Smith

Simply put, he is the heart and soul of this team. He has had an injury enforced break from rugby and should be fit and raring to go. The goal of this Cheetahs side is consistency and upper midtable respectability. They have the players at least in the starting XV) to achieve this, but will need their quiet spoken, all action captain firing on all cylinders and leading the way. And of course, in the bigger picture an in form Juan Smith is an absolute boon for Bok rugby. Look at how we missed our latter day Reuben Kruger in November.

“Young”

The Front-Row

Not all young age wise but certainly as a formidable unit they are still very much in the beginning of their story. Easily the most dominant scrum in the Currie Cup, they will now need to bring the same level of performance to this, the next level of rugby. If they fire like they did, the Cheetahs should get plenty forward momentum and with the loose trio and backline at their disposal this should translate into better results than last year. Again, this will also benefit the Bok cause by giving us a settled dominant second choice front unit.

Sharks

Senior

Ruan Pienaar

Started 2009 as the incumbent Bok pivot on the back of a stellar 2008 November tour. Ended it as broken, injured and apparently dispirited after losing his flyhalf place to the brilliant Morne Steyn, not having a chance at unseating Fourie du Preez and failing to cement his place at fullback. Needs to learn to back himself when the going gets tough and crucially accept that flyhalf is his best bet for a Bok starting berth (du Preez aside there is too much competition at scrummy and he failed to impress at fullback). He has the skill set to get his jersey back, but he needs to man up as 2011 may be too late to make a bid for a starting XV berth.

Young

Jean Deysel

He has the physical attributes to make it at this level and be a long term success. He has shown he can do it. He has players around him that complement his strengths and having wise heads like John Smit and Stefan Terblanche around the change room can only ever benefit a youngster looking to progress in his career. Has had bad luck with injuries and sometimes has red mist issues, but for someone tipped for higher honours his progress has been quite frustrating at times. Like many others, this is the year he must step up and show he must be in the Bok mix heading into 2011. I think he is the future after Juan Smith and he now needs to show that by having a brilliant Super 14 season.

Further upfront the Bok front-row (eat that Bulls fans) needs to re-establish the cohesion and domination upfront that fell away as 2009 wore on. They may not be crucial for the Bok cause this year but we can’t afford to get into 2011 with question marks still hanging over their consistency.

Stormers

Senior

Schalk Burger

From being the Bok talisman to being an off-form disciplinary nightmare usurped by a younger, hungrier adversary, Schalk had a 2009 to forget. It is credit to the confidence he inspires in teammates and coaches that Peter de Villiers kept him around the Bok mix last year and the Stormers have tossed him the armband and told him to show the way in the wake of the loss of SuperLuke and Jean de Villiers. This is the year he repays that faith or face being permanently frozen out by Heinrich Brussouw continued brilliance and the emerging talents like the Dewaldt Potgieters of this world. I don’t believe Schalk has “lost it” or is over the hill at such a ridiculously still young age. But he simply has to pull finger this year.

Much has been made of the impact Jacque Fourie and Bryan Habana will have on the Stormers backline this year, but for that to happen they need the guys with single digits on their backs to fire and Schalk is central to that.

Young

Juan de Jongh

SA saw the future of its midfield in last years Currie Cup. Somewhat slight of frame, but deceptive of pace, one step ahead in his thinking, solid on defence and blessed with great distribution. Young de Jongh is Jean de Villiers Mark II. True story. But of course, as many have found out before, first season Currie Cup success does not necessarily translate to Super Rugby or even Bok honours.

He will have the benefit of the experience and protection of Willem de Waal, Ricky Januarie (if he maintains his Welsh form) and Jaqcue Fourier around him to take most of the load off but this is his chance to shine and he must (and I believe he will) grab it with both hands and show his true stuff.