1
Springbok hopeful Curwin Bosch is bearing the brunt of the Sharks' Currie Cup final loss
The Bulls’ extra-time 26-19 victory over the Sharks secured the Currie Cup for the first time since 2009, leaving the Durban-based side without any silverware after a season that held so much promise after a hot start to the original Super Rugby season last year.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Sharks conceded two tries to Arno Botha, who pushed the Bulls back into contention after falling behind by 19-9. Botha’s first try gave the Bulls a lifeline with roughly 15 minutes to go.
Both sides had multiple chances to win the game, most notably Sharks flyhalf Curwin Bosch, who missed five shots at goals and three drop goal attempts on the day.
The Sharks had the chance to strike back after Botha’s first try in the dying stages of regular time, but they turned down a shot at goal to kick to the corner for the lineout maul. The ensuing line out drive failed, letting the Bulls off the hook.
Bosch’s third drop goal attempt sailed wide shortly after that moment, keeping the lead to just three points with five minutes remaining.
When the Sharks conceded a scrum penalty near-on fulltime, the gap was closed as Bulls replacement Chris Smith kicked the goal. A late opportunity to win the game in regular time went begging by Smith, who missed an 82nd-minute penalty goal with the scores tied.
Both flyhalves missed penalty goals early in extra time, Bosch’s fifth miss off the tee coming from long range inside his own half.
ADVERTISEMENT
Late in the second half of extra-time, Botha powered over to add misery to the Sharks’ day.
Bosch’s 50 per cent day with the boot became the source of blame for the Sharks’ loss, with many fans claiming that’s why he hasn’t been brought into the Springboks side since 2017.
#CurrieCup #BULvSHA #SSRugby Can we please just settle this once and for all. Curwin Bosch is not Springbok rugby material, kla
— G Des (@gordes05) January 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/StefanDivvy7/status/1355544469391736836
Feel bad for curwin Bosch man too much pressure got put on the kid #BULvSHA
— yah neh (@alvandreschoem1) January 30, 2021
How many points did Bosch mis 🤔 #BULvSHA #CurrieCup Final
— Pierre Mc Leod (@pierre_mackie) January 30, 2021
Curwin Bosch 😭 #BULvSHA #CarlingCurrieCup
— MAC (@2Fresh_mac) January 30, 2021
Bulls win it!!!! I kinda feel sorry for Curwin though. Going to be hard to forget this one. On a side note i hope Thomas Du Toit's injury isn't serious at all. #BULvSHA
— Such Is Life…. (@EnslinMavunga) January 30, 2021
Game could have being summed up if Bosch brought his kicking boots #CarlingCurrieCup #BULvSHA
— Joey (@Joey213Joey) January 30, 2021
Others felt that the Sharks had diverged away from the style of play that had made them a force in the beginning of the 2020 Super Rugby season, where they were 6-1 after seven games.
ADVERTISEMENT
#BULvSHA what a chappy game. SHA have the best backline in the comp and continue to kick it every time. Bosch playing to Everitt's plan. Not his fault. Tepid way to lose a final. Need to play like early 2020 again.
— Nick Alterskye (@Rally_boy2009) January 30, 2021
Blaming Curwin Bosch for to the @TheSharksZA loss is not right. Blame the person who refused to take the points when on offer #ssrugby #CurrieCupFinal #BULvSHA
— NJAR 🇿🇦 🇬🇧 🇦🇺 (@SeasonTravelerZ) January 30, 2021
Coach Sean Everitt added his support for his flyhalf, explaining after the match that the misses ‘doesn’t make him a bad player’.
“Curwin is a great rugby player. When you miss kicks at goal, that doesn’t make you a bad rugby player. Curwin has been outstanding for us and I thought generally today his game management was really good. We back him 100 per cent.”
Everitt highlighted that the Bulls kickers also failed to the hit the target, with Morne Steyn and Chris Smith missing more than once while adding that Bosch has done it ‘time and time again’ to save the Sharks this year.
The Bulls win gave the side a Currie Cup/Super Rugby Unlocked double, after what was a tumultuous start to their Super Rugby campaign before COVID, winning just one game from six starts.
The arrival of Jake White with some of his former stars have since turned the club’s fortunes around, now laying claim to South Africa’s premier club side once again.
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments