The Bulls Youth Brigade

Under Ludeke the Bulls selection centered around experienced and reputation players were the norm and the playing style adopted was stampkar rugby that his supporting staff like Matfield was using as the bible.  The captaincy was an issue as well - over last two years it varied between Spies and Matfield.
With the Bulls Springbok candidates out of the way one would have expected a very difficult CC season ahead of them.   The problem was that the Bulls in 2014 and 2015 were pathetic and they have not won a CC match against WP since 2012.  So all their most experienced players were gone and they needed a new captain as well,  Nollis Marais was appointed as coach and he started of selecting a squad to go to Japan for a pre-season game.   The team won by a margin of 52-6.
Marais decided he wanted a captain with real leadership ability and who would lead his new team with enthusiasm and by example.  He made  brilliant choice of Lappies Labuschagne as captain.  He was not the old captain with a distance from and superiority complex over players and they reacted with enthusiasm to the much younger and friendlier Labuschagne as captain.
So lets see the results of the games thus far in the CC:-
Blue Bulls    57     -     Cheetahs       17Blue Bulls    36     -     Griquas          12Blue Bulls    47     -     WP               29Blue Bulls    46     -     Griquas          32
They got try bonus points in each game they played in.   When reading a report on the Bulls this year I was amazed to come across the following:-

 "It won’t go unnoticed that the Bulls average age was at 22 this past weekend. Their youth acquisitions had to wait so long, it isn’t surprising they played with such freedom now that they’re being backed." 
The fact that the Bulls did badly in all CC  tournaments since 2012 and now seems to be playing like champions shows us one thing namely to keep using the old and tired is not a recipe for playing winning rugby.   It is early days and the Bulls still have to play the Lions, Pumas and Sharks - but it seems clear the final of the CC this year is likely to be against the Lions.  
The top lesson of it all is - getting rid of the dead wood can only be beneficial for any rugby team.    
         

Who is this new Bulls coach....I like what I have seen thus far in respect of selections and playing style.
It's so refreshing 

 Dave 
The guys name is Nollis Marais - he used to be the Bulls Under 21 coach and was temporarily appointed to take charge of the Bulls CC team while the Franchise decides on the appointment of a new Head Coach.   
They apparently did not want to appoint a coach to see what is going to happen to Meyer as coach of the Springboks - but I think if Meyer is to be appointed by the Bulls they would to go back to the bad old days encountered during the past three years.  Problem is they will also be forced to get back the highly disruptive Matfield as attack coach and the same old problems would be encountered by having to put up with the nonsense the Bulls encountered over the last three years.  

 Damn so Marais is not permanent then?