- Less than a month after captaining Tuks to the Varsity Cup title, Sango Xamlashe will also steer the Bulls' Currie Cup ship in their opener against WP this weekend.
- Stand-in coach Pine Pienaar said the decision to install him in the role was an easy one.
- Xamlashe forms part of a Tuks core that should help a hugely inexperienced Bulls 23 with some form of continuity.
Less than a month after captaining Tuks to this year's Varsity Cup title, Sango Xamlashe will write the latest chapter in a burgeoning career after being installed as the Bulls' skipper for Saturday's Currie Cup opener against Western Province at Loftus Versfeld.
It's been a challenging but interesting week for the stand-in coach Pine Pienaar, who has had to rely almost solely on the union's three main feeder systems - Tuks, the juniors and club players - to assemble a match squad as no less than 44 players are unavailable this week.
Astonishingly, 21 of the 23 fronting up to the old enemy will be making their Currie Cup debuts.
Identifying the man to wear the captain's armband, however, proved one of Pienaar's easiest tasks.
"We had little difficulty in that regard," the Bulls mentor said with a smile on Thursday.
"Ever since Sango joined up with us last week, I was immediately impressed with his sheer calmness. We obviously held tabs on him during the Varsity Cup and we saw how well he led Tuks.
"It was a really easy decision."
Despite the lack of experience across the board in the Bulls group, the precocious Xamlashe (22) has the benefit of other strong personalities around him, notably last year's Under-21 skipper Jaco Labuschagne.
"Sango will definitely have some support," said Pienaar.
"But the thing I enjoy most about him is his composure. It's not just about leading a group of men for him, he also focused heavily on managing and improving his own game.
"He's that quintessential all-round leader. We're all very excited to see him go this weekend."
Bulls
15 Richard Kriel, 14 Sebastiaan Jobb, 13 Sango Xamlashe (captain), 12 Louritz van der Schyff, 11 Kefentse Mahlo, 10 Jandre Burger, 9 Johan Mulder, 8 Jaco Bezuidenhout, 7 Jaco Labuschagne, 6 Henco Beukes, 5 Tiaan de Klerk, 4 JJ Scheepers, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Werner Fourie, 1 Nolan Pienaar
Substitutes (from): 16 Llewelyn Claasen, 17 Dewald Donald, 18 Mhleli Dlamini, 19 Adolph Visser, 20 Eduan Lubbe, 21 Tiaan Fourie, 22 Kabelo Mokoena, 23 Niel Beukes, 24 Uzile Tele
Western Province
15 Sergeal Petersen, 14 Sihle Njezula, 13 Rikus Pretorius, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Abner van Reenen, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Johan du Toit, 6 Niel Otto, 5 David Meihuizen, 4 Ernst van Rhyn (captain), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Ali Vermaak
Substitutes (from): 16 Sazi Sandi, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Justin Basson, 20 Hacjivah Dayimani, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Tim Swiel, 23 Cornel Smit, 24 Jason Alexander, 25 De Wet Marais, 26 Chris Schreuder
Rendering that responsibility just that little more manageable is the fact that Xamlashe will have his Varsity Cup partner-in-crime, the hulking Louritz van der Schyff, alongside him in midfield.
In fact, Pienaar and co have shrewdly made the spine of their combination the winning group of Tuks stars, a dynamic that provides a semblance of continuity in a situation where there is virtually none of it to be found.
"We have Jaco, Werner Fourie, Johan Mulder, Sango and Louritz as just a few Tuks boys in the group," he said.
"We actually have achieved some form of alignment in that regard. They've played together for a substantial period of time and that synergy could really help us."
Kick-off on Saturday is at 16:00.