South African sides have always struggled in the Super 14
but the Bulls bucked that trend last year to win the title.
Can they do it again ? Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at
the chances of the sides from the republic.
On paper the South African sides for the Super 14 look as
strong as ever.
Most of the key players are back, and their appetite for
success appears as high as ever.
But it is what has happened off the field which may have the
biggest impact of any chance of South African success in the
Super 14.
Rugby heads, fed up with kicking duels and defence dominated
encounters, have come up with new law interpretations.
If enforced - and that is a big if - these laws may prove the
biggest obstacle to winning the title for the sides from the
republic, especially last year's champion the Bulls.
The Bulls, with halfback Fourie du Preez and first
five-eighth Morne Steyn to the fore, swamped teams with their
accurate kicking, backed up by a tigerish defence.
Helped by laws which gave all the advantage to the team
without the ball, the Bulls suffocated sides and, when able,
let their wingers run the ball in.
But bored with that, and frankly who was not, the heads have
now tweaked the laws to give more advantage to teams with the
ball.
And kicking teams will also have to be mindful about being
onside from the kick.
Whether or not the laws are enforced as they say they will be
is the big question but the Bulls have lost a couple of
weapons as they set out to defend their title.
Winger Bryan Habana has moved down to the Stormers and centre
JP Nel has gone overseas while big lock Bakkies Botha is
fighting an Achilles niggle.
The key to the team from the high veldt is lock and captain
Victor Matfield.
He missed part of the season last year and when he was not on
the paddock, the Bulls did not look quite as composed.
The Bulls though do have a reasonable draw, with only four
weeks on the road in the middle of the competition.
Hopefully, they will get back their injured players at the
business end of the season.
Down on the coast, there is much optimism in the Stormers
camp.
Habana and Lions blockbusting centre Jaques Fourie have
arrived and should be good to finish off opportunities.
Up front, Schalk Burger has at long last taken on the
captaincy as he looks to win back his mantle as the
Springboks' key loose forward.
Andries Bekker will be out for a big season as the big lock
has been blighted by injury over the past couple of years.
Along the coast the Sharks will be trying to rid the tag of
nearly men.
They were fast out of the blocks last year but it all came
tumbling down as the team lost its aggressiveness and ability
to score when it counted.
Star signing Juan Martin Hernadez will not appear, due to a
back injury, and whoever replaces him in the No 10 jersey has
big shoes to fill.
The pack has a familiar look to it, with John Smit handed the
captaincy reins.
It is a make-or-break season for the Sharks.
They have the artillery but have started to look like masters
at failing when it really counts.
The Lions have been bolstered by the signing of Carlos
Spencer, but he will be up against it.
The Lions have been poor for too long and will feel the loss
of Fourie.
There have been rumours the Lions and the Cheetahs will merge
but there will be none of that talk in Bloemfontein.
The Cheetahs seem not to like the Super 14 for basically the
same side made it through to the Currie Cup final last year.
Not helped with an awful draw last season which had them on
the road until the eighth round, the team can only go one way
after finishing bottom last season.
Juan Smith returns from serious injury while fellow loose
forward Heinrich Brussouw should pilfer plenty of ball.
