By Adnaan Mohamed
The Vodacom Bulls are loading up for an All Blacks ambush at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, combining returning Springbok muscle with a pair of overseas-tested backs capable of injecting serious X-factor.
The recipe is clear: add international steel to the pack, then let Curwin Bosch and Thaakir Abrahams bring the fizz.
Bosch starts at flyhalf after two seasons with Brive in France, where the 29-year-old says he rediscovered the freedom that made him one of South Africa’s most naturally gifted attacking players.
“It’s amazing to be back in South Africa,” Bosch said. “The two seasons I spent in France were really good for me, but there’s no place like home.”
His French adventure was a mental reset.
“It was so good for me mentally to spend a bit of time in France and just get the shackles off and get back to doing what I do best, and that’s play rugby.”
Bosch believes the experience stripped away the noise and restored his instinctive game.
“There were no sideshows and no distractions. I could just focus on playing good rugby.”
“I just felt a lot more free. The last couple of seasons I spent in South Africa, I felt boxed a little bit.”
“That time in France freed me up. It took me back to how you play rugby at school. You see the space and you play the space. That’s when I’m at my best.”
Now the stage could hardly be bigger.
“It’s probably an opportunity of a lifetime to test yourself against the second-best team in the world,” Bosch said.
On the wing, Abrahams offers another attacking spark. The former Sharks and Munster winger returns to the Bulls with speed to burn and the ability to turn half-chances into highlight-reel material.
Together, Bosch and Abrahams give the Bulls a backline with genuine unpredictability.
Up front, the Bulls have reinforced the pack with Springbok quality. Hooker Johan Grobbelaar and loose forward Elrigh Louw have been released from the Springboks after their Argentina tour and will provide fresh international experience from the bench.
Both have had a single training session with the Bulls.
“It’s great to have them with us, and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” coach Johan Ackermann said.
Jaundre Schoeman and Mpilo Gumede make way in the match-day squad.
Captain Marcell Coetzee leads a pack containing plenty of experience, while Hanro Liebenberg returns to South Africa after his stint with Leicester Tigers.
Willie le Roux adds another Springbok presence at fullback, with Embrose Papier and Jeandré Rudolph providing tempo and thrust.
The numbers make for sobering reading. New Zealand have won three of the four meetings since 1949. The Bulls’ solitary victory came in 1976, when Northern Transvaal edged the All Blacks 29-27.
Almost 50 years later, Loftus gets another crack at rugby folklore.
The Bulls have brought the Boks for ballast and the overseas returnees for fireworks.
Now they need the whole package to explode.
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Thaakir Abrahams, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Juann Else, 1 Alu Tshakweni.
Bench: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Katlego Letebele, 23 Hakeem Kunene.
New Zealand: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Anton Segner, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu, 4 Fabian Holland, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor (captain), 1 Xavier Numia
Bench: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 George Bower, 18 Siale Lauaki, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23 Emoni Narawa
Date: Saturday, August 15
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT; 05.00 Sunday, August 16 NZST)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England), Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)