Currie Cup showcases next generation of Springboks

Separated by weather, altitude and some 2000km, the matches making up Friday night's play in the Currie Cup emphasised the value of the old competition to SA rugby.

From the cradle of the game, Newlands, to the new Mbombela Stadium built for the Fifa World Cup; the rugby was enthralling, the talent impressive and the commitment compelling.

In one of the televised games two powerhouses and last year's finalists, Western Province and the Sharks, fought toe to toe in wet, slippery conditions.

In the other a minnow, the Pumas, threatened to upset a team whose name has become synonymous with Currie Cup success, the Blue Bulls. The Pumas, who in a nod to modernisation have swapped dull grey outfits for bright pink ones, sparked foot-stomping excitement in their sparse crowd before a young substitute in blue brought back memories of times past by dropping a goal that made the game safe for the Bulls.

A 21-year-old by the name of Louis Fouche scouted by the Bulls by way of Rustenburg and the Leopards, is typical of the temper of a 2011 Currie Cup competition that is one of the most important in years.

In this countdown period in which we are becoming increasingly obsessed with the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand the Currie Cup is a seedbed that represents nothing less than the next generation of Springbok rugby.

Forget for a moment about the state of the national team and consider that the completion of the World Cup, at whatever juncture that might be for John Smit's men, will signal a changing of the guard. The core of the team will depart; into retirement or to take up lucrative twilight contracts elsewhere. Others, such as Schalk Burger and Juan Smith, will probably soldier on but with not much hope or desire of making a fourth World Cup in England in 2015.

A new captain will replace John Smit, who has been in the hot seat since 2004, and in all likelihood also a coach to replace the eccentric Peter de Villiers.

De Villiers has indicated a desire to stay but his enthusiasm is not shared by administrators. Nothing short of victory in New Zealand will save him.

Burger, who is 28, and Smith, 30, will be in the frame to succeed Smit but officials, who are not known for applying appropriate forethought, will be forced to take a long-term view when analysing the De Villiers era.

Whereas Jake White planned well into the future, De Villiers and his assistants Dick Muir and Gary Gold tended towards a narrow focus, as indicated by the fact that in yesterday's Test the run-on XV contained only one player, Heinrich Brussow, who made his debut post-2007.

When De Villiers and Co have picked new sides they have been unsuccessful and 2012 could dawn with Saru facing a crisis.

Hopefully, succession plans are in place; the job specs already written and coaches, with fewer hang-ups, sounded out to make the most of a deep mine of schoolboy talent that too often is not brought to the surface.

Time will tell whether a strength-versus-strength Currie Cup will be a good or bad thing but at least it is there.

Look out for the names Ricardo Croy, Johann Sadie, Nick Koster, JJ Engelbrecht, Marcell Coetzee, Sias Ebersohn, Coenie Oosthuizen, Sibusiso Sithole, Siya Kolisi, Dewald Potgieter, Jaco Taute, Davon Raubenheimer, Juandré Kruger, Rossouw de Klerk, WP Nel. Is there another Matfield? Habana? Thank heavens for the Currie Cup.