In 2009 the Vodacom Bulls boosted the confidence of South African rugby ahead of a Springbok series against the British and Irish Lions with a comprehensive win over the Chiefs in that year’s Super Rugby final at Loftus.
You couldn’t get a more complete and dominating performance than the one turned in by the Bulls that day and, like in 2007 when the Boks credited a big part of their success at that year’s World Cup to the confidence gained by the performances of the Bulls and Sharks in the Super 14, that momentum was carried into the Lions series.
Some 12 years later the Bulls again carry the responsibility of perking up South African morale ahead of a Lions series as they go in search of their first international title since 2010 by facing Benetton in Saturday’s PRO14 Rainbow Cup final.
We can’t pretend that a win over Benetton on its own would equate with one over a New Zealand team like the Chiefs, even though this final is being played away from home whereas in 2009 the massacre was enacted at Loftus. Benetton just aren’t in that league and they made the final after four games, not the 14 that the Chiefs would have had to play.
But these are also different times we are living in. South African rugby hasn’t seen any international competition for 15 months, and while we suspect the game here is healthy after a much-improved Rainbow Cup in comparison to what we saw last year, the reality is we just don’t know.
There will inevitably be some doubts when you’ve just played internally for that long, and while it is unlikely there’ll be the rude wake-up call and reality check there was in 1992, when the Boks returned from isolation, a compelling performance from the Bulls on Saturday is needed. Conversely, what South African rugby can do without is the shock to the system that an unexpected defeat would entail.
STIFLING HEAT AND HUMIDITY EXPECTED
And make no mistake, while it is unlikely, it can happen. As Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee reminded us this week, finals are invariably more 50/50 than other games. In other words, the pressure is a leveller. What could also be a leveller in this competition decider is the weather.
Weather is part of the reason why the South African contingent in the Benetton team believe that their home ground advantage could be a bigger factor than many anticipate.
“They are favourites from the point of view of the journalist views but inside us we know that while it is a huge challenge, we can do it,” said Benetton’s former Stormers scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage.
“I think everything is weighted in favour of us in terms of them having to travel here where we had to just sit here and wait. It is much easier playing a final at your home. Weather wise it has also been really hot, and particularly humid. I know the Bulls played in Durban the other day, but it is winter in South Africa whereas it is summer over here.”
Temperatures in the mid-30s are anticipated for the game and as former Bulls lock Irne Herbst, who will be lining up against some of his old teammates reminded us, Treviso is a part of Italy that is known for its humidity at this time of year.
“You will remember that before the last World Cup, Eddie Jones brought England to Italy for a training camp and the reason he did that was because he wanted to assimilate the conditions, meaning the humidity, that they would experience in Japan,” said Herbst.
Indeed. It seems odd to suggest that heat might impact negatively on a South African team. When the United Rugby Championship begins later this year, and particularly in the height of summer, it is likely to be the other way around - South African sides will fear going to the cold northern hemisphere winter, while the overseas sides could find the African heat jarring.
BENETTON ARE A VERSATILE TEAM
Herbst and Duvenage are right - it is difficult to adjust to a change of seasons so quickly, and it is one of the challenges that the Bulls face. Anyone who has watched Benetton play recently will vouch for Duvenage and Herbst’s confidence that their team is versatile when it comes to their game-plan.
“This is the first time we are playing a team from the south so there are going to be some interesting questions answered,” said the scrumhalf.
“Finals are always different, more tactical, and that could be particularly so if it is really humid (which makes it almost like a wet weather game because of the slippery ball). In Europe rugby is a bit slower whereas in South Africa the tempo is quite high. But we can also lift the tempo if we need to. Our tactical kicking game has been good (which helps if it is humid), our defence has been really good recently, and we also have a good offload game to lift the tempo if we need to. It was a combination of those things that got us to the final and we will rely on what got us here.”
DISCIPLINE WILL BE KEY
For the Bulls one of their trumps is probably the presence of two well-travelled overseas campaigners in the leadership group. Coach Jake White of course has extensive experience coaching overseas while their captain Marcell Coetzee is not new to the challenge of playing in Treviso and playing against Benetton.
Both would have played a big role in warning the younger Bulls players what to expect, and after his time at Ulster, Coetzee will be wary of underestimating his opponents on their home field. He has also warned his players about the need to be disciplined as the referees in the northern hemisphere see things differently to the ones in the south.
“One thing we've verified is that particularly in the high-tackle cases, they are really more cautious here in the northern hemisphere,” said the Bulls captain during the build-up to Saturday’s final, which will be watched by 1500 spectators as the stadiums start to open up in Italy.
“So, I think our body height in the tackle has to be squeaky clean, because they are very quick (to penalise) when it's just a little above the top. That can change the whole game for you – especially in finals time, when you really want all your personnel on the field.”
Talking of discipline, Morne Steyn’s sharp-shooting place-kicking boot won’t be present this time to punish any opposition transgressions, but both Duvenage and Herbst have seen enough of Chris Smith to know that he can punish them too. And while Duvenage is very much a kingpin in the Benetton game because of his tactical game, Ivan van Zyl will be important in that regard for the Bulls too.
PRO14 Rainbow Cup final
Benetton v Vodacom Bulls (Treviso, Saturday 18.00)
Prediction:Bulls to win by 8.