CAPE TOWN - The only realistic way the Springboks can prepare for the British & Irish Lions series is by the South African Rainbow Cup teams playing a few matches at home, before a few more in Europe.
At least, that is how former Bok coach and current Bulls director of rugby Jake White sees things at this stage.
There has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Bulls, Sharks, Lions and Stormers’ entry into European rugby due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
They are still set to play in the Rainbow Cup from mid-April, which will be a precursor to a full-blown PRO16 tournament that will start in the next European season around August or September.
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But exactly how the Rainbow Cup fixture list will be worked out is something the SA franchises are still waiting to see, as Covid-19 has restricted travelling across the world.
At the moment, South Africans are not allowed to fly to the UK for holiday or leisure purposes, but with rugby a professional sport, the rugby teams could still get there, but that may include a quarantine period and further Covid-19 tests upon arrival.
“The only way it can work is that we will have to play against each other here, and then we must go overseas and play against a few teams there to get some game time,” White said yesterday after announcing an unchanged starting line-up for today’s preparation encounter against the Pumas in Mbombela.
“Then, after that tournament – maybe three, four, five weeks – maybe there will be a semi-final and final. That takes us to the end of May or early June, and by that time, it’s finished.
“Then it’s two or three weeks of preparation for the Boks, and then the Lions tour starts – and we will come back to play Currie Cup.”
That is why White is not only testing his depth in the Preparation Series, but also lining up a few big names to be contenders for the Rainbow Cup and PRO16 titles, having already conquered Mzansi in Super Rugby Unlocked and the Currie Cup.
“We need to make sure our squads are balanced and good enough, and the combinations are tried and tested. One weekend we play Munster with all their internationals, and the next week, we play Leinster, with literally people on the bench that play for Ireland,” he said.
“If you consider we could get Damian (Willemse) and we could get Johan Goosen, then what are the chances that you are going to use Clinton (Swart) as a No 10/12 above Damian, Goosen, Chris Smith or Cornal Hendricks? It’s no secret – we are looking at Damian Willemse, who can cover No 10, 12 and 15. Johan Goosen is coming, and he can play No 10, 12 and 15.”
Loose forward Marcell Coetzee will also join the Bulls from Ulster in July.