Jake White © Gallo Images
There is a lot of excitement amongst the South African teams as they prepare for their European Champions Cup debut next week, but someone who has been there before warns there could be an initial shock for the system.
Jake White’s Vodacom Bulls side head into week one of the Champions Cup after a comprehensive Vodacom United Rugby Championship win over Cardiff, with the other three home sides also winning against Welsh opposition. In three of the four instances, South African teams attempted to score bonus points, with the Sharks’ skillful victory over the Ospreys being the exception.
It may turn out to be the calm before the storm, however, as White feels that South Africans, and that includes players as well as coaches and supporters, are not yet fully aware of the stage that will be necessary and the level of rugby that we can anticipate in the first European competition.
“To be honest, I think everyone is a bit naive, both from a fan perspective and from a young player perspective,” White said after that team’s 45-9 win over Cardiff.
“We will face teams with several Test internationals, both in the squad and on the bench. Remember that most European teams don’t just tap into their country’s player base, they have South Africans, Kiwis, Australians, Argentinians and players from the Pacific Islands. I’ve experienced this competition before as a Montpellier coach, and whether it’s the Champions Cup or the Challenge Cup (which will be contested by the Emirates Lions and Toyota Cheetahs), it’s incredibly difficult.
“Generally the depth of these teams is much stronger than what we have grown accustomed to in the URC and have in our systems in South Africa. I’ve been trying very hard over the past few weeks to explain to the guys on our team how good these teams are. The packs weigh a thousand kilograms, they have brilliant world-class rears. I think we will wake up a bit next weekend. Once we see the games on TV, everyone will understand the enormity of the challenge facing our teams.
White of course coached the Springboks to a World Cup triumph, so he coached at the highest level. So it was interesting to hear him say that there is not that much difference between international rugby and the quality and intensity of rugby that you will encounter in the Champions Cup.
“We have known Leinster in the URC, and they are one of the best teams, but there are many of a similar level. When Clermont (who the Stormers face next week) are at home and on fire, they are truly scary, with the crowd almost thronging the sideline. Toulouse in Toulouse and Saracens in Saracens, you name it, there will be tough opponents in really tough places.
“It’s going to require a huge shift in mindset not only from the players but also from the average South African fan. I love watching English football and I would say the Champions Cup can be compared to the League champions in terms of level required. It’s really not very far from international rugby.
White was pleased with the way his side warmed up for their first two-week Champions Cup foray – they host French club Lyon next Saturday before traveling to English club Exeter a week later – and was particularly pleased with the way Johan Goosen played. a night when the fly half brought a markedly different dynamic to the Bulls’ offensive game.
“With Goosen, the more he plays and the more guys get used to playing around him, the better we will get. We looked dangerous in this game every time the backs got the ball, so hopefully we we’ll continue to build on that,” the coach said.
“Johan just needs playing time. If he can play like he did against Cardiff with such limited training time behind him, we’re obviously delighted with what he can do for us at the moment. coming. But it is what it is. We have to put him back in the saddle. It was just one game. It’s just the beginning, but what we’ve seen is encouraging. We have a long way to go in all competitions. Hopefully we can build on what we did as a team tonight.