While I hate to be negative about sportsmen who are much more talented than I ever was, and try their hardest to perform well, I have to make an exception this week. The Bull’s second half performance on Saturday against a very average Western Force outfit was planlose* to say the least. Worst of all, it was without any capacity to change the plan.

This is a Bulls side boasting more then 10 Boks, including the 8 ,9 , 10, 12, 15 axis. Upon receiving the ball, fullback Kirchner and flyhalf, Steyn, simply went to the air for Basson to chase. Basson eventually caught two of the aerial balls – an awful statistic in anyone’s language, made worse by the fact that they tried for 30 minutes before it worked.

Bakkies Botha and Pierre Spies can’t be taken to the world cup on their current form. Morne Steyn is lucky that he has an outstanding kicking record at international level, and even that will only just save him. As for Olivier and Kirchner – they are simply not Springboks.

But the Bulls do have exciting young players around who must build a new pattern and a team going forward. Out with the old, and in with the new. They must evolve. They are being left behind, and with them Springbok Rugby. Hougaard, Ralapela, Van den Heever, Dippenaar, Basson, Potgieter, Van der Merwe are exciting players, but they need to play a brand of rugby that reflects this. Compare the way Lambie gets his backs moving and the Sharks’ love for recycling phases to the Bulls static style. Compare the way Taute of the Lions, Ludik at the Sharks and Aplon at the Stormers prefer to carry the ball back at opposition and make things happen by beating tacklers rather then kicking the crap out of it.

Granted, the Lions leak points, but it’s funny to notice how both the Lions and Sharks play a smart, ball in hand attacking style that is great to watch. Oh, wait a moment, that’s not funny. Both sides are coached by kiwis. Maybe this is what the Bulls need, the injection of a different style, one that champions possession and evolves with the times.

What do you think? How do so many Springboks combine in one team to play such average rugby?

For more insight and opinion, follow Steve Morris on twitter.

*[That’s Afrikaans for “without a plan” for our international readers]