Currie Cup cooking again

Ever since Sanzar's competitions (Super rugby and the Rugby Championship) eroded the Currie Cup's potency by encroaching on its calendar there has been a tendency to think less of it.

But with the advent of a European or Japanese contract for any player who shows a hint of ability and doesn't make the Springbok squad these days, the Currie Cup has become a fast-tracking ground for Super rugby, which means the best of the country's youngest talent is on show.

So, instead of being regarded as the shadow of the competition it once was, there are at least five things to look forward to in the Currie Cup.

The return of Luke Watson

Believe it or not, the EP Kings captain is still only 30, which means he has plenty of energy to entertain the rest of us by getting up the noses of the rugby establishment.

Because he is their leader, the Kings will be judged on two fronts: their rugby and how their captain is received by the rugby public this time round.

The so-called rugby purists will accuse Watson of being a one-man sideshow, but the good thing about him is that he asks questions that rugby doesn't like to answer. As you were, then .

Tera Mtembu's captaincy

That Mtembu's appointment as the first black captain of the Sharks is big-ish news probably speaks more about how backward we are than about the decision itself. From all accounts, this could well be an inspired decision by the Sharks, whose choice of leader may well drag rugby to the same century as the rest of South Africa.

That said, a lot is riding on his success in the role in the hope that it finally puts to bed the ridiculous notion in rugby circles that blackness and excellence are mutually exclusive concepts.

Hawies Fourie as a head coach

One of the most irritating things about South African rugby coaches is their refusal to engage reporters on the complex subject of rugby. Fourie has always been keen to discuss the finer points of the game with all comers, which I felt was a contribution to an improved discourse around the game, be it for media or the public.

This is why his elevation to head coach at Griquas, after years as Naka Drotske's assistant at the Cheetahs, is genuinely good news. Finally, a brand-new coach who thinks outside the box will be mixing it with the usual conservatives.

Jimmy Stonehouse and his muscles

The former body builder got up to most of his exploits in the relative darkness of First Division rugby last year, but the Currie Cup proper will shine a spotlight on one of the quirkier characters of the game.

The Pumas coach has been known to bench press more than his players and break into Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline after games at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

And for those who think he brings only a body builder's wild-eyed intensity and bulging muscles to the table, he can coach a bit, too. Last year's unbeaten campaign in the First Division meant his team lost just once in two seasons. Now for the real thing.

Rasta Rasivhenge

What with Jonathan Kaplan's tearful retirement last season, rugby needs a new superstar referee to complement Craig Joubert. Rasivhenge, who apparently wanted to be an actor or a pilot growing up, may well be that man. Good-natured, intelligent and engaging, the popular 28-year-old is ready to push for higher honours after years doing his thing on the Sevens circuit and in the Currie Cup. That journey starts this season.