While his return to Loftus Versfeld has been heralded as the beginning of a bigger and better future, Springbok hooker Adriaan Strauss is a strong believer in that the team comes before the individual.
The 29-year-old Strauss sees his second coming at the Bulls as the perfect opportunity to add value to a team that he believes can regain its status as the best in the southern hemisphere.
Strauss makes a return to Pretoria after leaving the Bulls at the end of 2006 after realising that his road to the top was more difficult with the presence of Springboks Gary Botha and Chiliboy Ralepelle.
After a seven year absence during which he excelled as captain of the Cheetahs and became a Springbok, Strauss has no doubt that he has made the best decision for his career and his family life by returning to the union that made him a professional rugby player.
In fact, Strauss finds comfort in seeing familiar faces at Loftus and has made a seamless return to his old stomping ground but says that the presence of new personnel continues to fuel his hunger to be the best hooker in the land.
“I think a lot is still the same and there is still a lot of the same people especially in management and the administration staff. It is great to be back but of course things have moved forward and in a new direction playing-wise. It’s good to be back and I’m enjoying it,” Strauss said yesterday.
As good as it is being back in Pretoria, Strauss admits that making the decision to leave the Cheetahs was the most difficult of his rugby life.
“It was a very tough time for me because I enjoyed my time at the Cheetahs and the people of Bloem. But I have turned the page now and I’m looking forward to this year,” Strauss said after his rehabilitation session for a calf strain that will keep him off the field until the start of the Super Rugby competition next month.
A veteran of 44 Tests, Strauss had been on contention to captain the Bulls this year but the return from injury of Pierre Spies and the availability of Victor Matfield has pushed him down the leadership pecking order.
“I respect both of them (Spies and Matfield) a lot and it is easy to follow them. It is easy to follow someone with that type of respect and the way they are. I believe at this level you need to have leaders in every position so whatever I can do and however I can contribute I will do that,” said Strauss.
As much as Strauss is a certainty to make the Springbok squad for this year’s Rugby World Cup in England, the blonde-headed hard man says his place in the national team is not guaranteed and his priority at the moment is to command a place in the Bulls starting line-up and do well for the them in Super Rugby.
“For me I take it game by game. I have seen it with injuries and selection as well, I have been left out of the Springbok squad so you can never plan too far ahead. I am just working hard and working within the process, get on the field, play good rugby and contribute as much as I can towards the team that I am involved with at the moment,” added Strauss.
Meanwhile, Springbok lock Flip van der Merwe will only return to action in April from his pectoral muscle injury while Springboks Handre Pollard (foot), Spies (bicep), Arno Botha (knee) and Strauss (calf strain) will not participate in warm-up matches against the Cheetahs and Saracens in their bid to be fit for the start of the season on February 14 against the Stormers at Loftus. - The Star