The Springbok squad announcement ahead of the Vodacom URC semi-final in Pretoria provides Jake White with perfect motivation for the Bulls-Sharks clash, writes MARK KEOHANE.

Saturday’s winner at what is set to be sold-out Loftus Versfeld will contest the decider next week, potentially in the Republic if defending champions Glasgow Warriors stun Leinster in Dublin.

Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane suggests Erasmus’ unexpected 54-man reveal on Thursday serves as a red flag for White’s Bulls, who face a Sharks team boasting 14 Bok selections compared to their 10.

He notes the Bulls’ contingent includes the likes of Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Ruan Nortje and Cameron Hanekom, while the Sharks field a virtual Test team featuring five 2023 World Cup winners, led by double world champions Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi.

According to Keohane, this week’s playoff on the Highveld also represents a great advertisement for South African rugby’s current strength across multiple competitions.

“Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus wrote Bulls coach Jake White’s motivational speech for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship semi-final between the Bulls and the Sharks in Pretoria,” he writes.

“White, the 2007 World Cup-winning Springbok coach, will turn to those players not selected for the Boks, and there are plenty in his match 23. He will especially encourage Embrose Papier and Keagan Johannes to go out and make a statement against the Boks brother halfback pairing of Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse.

“White will emphasise to David Kriel that if he wants to be a Springbok, he will need to own the Sharks and Boks midfield pairing of Andre Esterhuizen and Lukhanyo Am. White will also have a loud word in the ear of Sebastian de Klerk to make another statement against the Bok-in-waiting Ethan Hooker and veteran Bok winger Makazole Mapimpi.

“… and if the Bulls win then I am sure White will appreciate what a favour he got from Erasmus…”

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Siya Kolisi makes blunt revelation as Sharks set sights on maiden URC final

Experienced Sharks back-row Siya Kolisi is backing his team to continue their fine form against the Bulls when they face off in their United Rugby Championship (URC) semi-final in Pretoria on Saturday.

Although the Bulls will head into this encounter at Loftus Versfeld as favourites, their opponents will be quietly confident of winning their third successive encounter against their hosts after the Durban-based outfit prevailed in both the matches between theses earlier this year.

And while Kolisi is aware that the Bulls is not an easy team to beat on their home turf, he feels the Sharks have several experienced players who will be crucial to their cause and could help them clinch a victory which will help them to advance to their first URC final.

“That experience does help, to be honest,” revealed the Springboks captain. “You know at the back of your mind that you’ve been there and it helps you to talk to the guys next to you.

‘It is all about calm heads’

“Panic will not help you there. It is all about calm heads and guys like Eben (Etzebeth), Bongi (Mbonambi) and André (Esterhuizen) take charge of the team and they calm the players down.

“All that matters is the next job and you have to play what is in front of you and not worry about what must still come.”

The Sharks are set to play in their first URC semi-final while the Bulls are eyeing a spot in the competition’s final for the third time after finishing as runners-up on two previous occasions – against the Stormers in 2022 and Glasgow Warriors in 2024.

The men from Durban have improved considerably since last season – when they had to be satisfied with 14th position in the standings – but will not get ahead of themselves against the Bulls this weekend.

“If you are going to worry about the scoreboard and what will come next and you don’t focus on what is happening right now, that is when you lose the plot,” added Kolisi.

“Guys who have played can tell the others to focus on the next job and what matters.

“Everything will then look after itself.

‘You must think of the guy next to you’

“The calmness is there because you have been in that situation before, but you must think of the guy next to you who has never experienced it. You just need to tell him to calm down and to focus.”

The Sharks booked their spot in the semi-finals courtesy of a dramatic 6-4 penalty shootout victory over Munster after the sides were level at 24-24 after extra-time in Durban last week.

Despite that result, Kolisi feels the men from Durban have nothing to celebrate yet although they are fully focused on leaving Loftus Versfeld as victors but said they do not care how they achieve that goal.

“It might happen that it’s a dramatic end or not. The win counts,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter how it comes. We know we want to play better; there are many things we would like to improve on the field. The most important thing is finding a way to win when things are not going well for you as a team.

“I have been in a team where you play amazing rugby, and you still lose the game.

“So, would you rather have that or what we are going through?

“We know we can be better as individuals and as a team.”