Forgotten Springbok to get a shot against All Blacks
· The South African
Widely regarded as a generational talent during his schoolboy days, Curwin Bosch – who has just two Springbok caps to his name – is no longer the young kid on the block.
A full decade has passed since he hade his Test debut just a couple of months after his 19th birthday, which came as a substitute against Argentina on 19 August 2017.
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He would again feature for the Springboks when he started at fullback in the one off Test against Wales in Washington in 2018, but from there his national career never really took off as expected.
The 29-year-old has now returned to the Bulls, more experienced and certainly still with several years of rugby ahead of him, and now he also faces the unique prospect of featuring against the All Blacks in their third tour match of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry this Saturday.
Bosch told SARugbymag.co.za that it was “amazing to be back in South Africa” after two seasons in France with Brive.
“The two seasons I spent in France were really good for me, but there’s just no place like home. Even Pretoria, for me, feels like home.”
New chapter for former Springbok
Before heading to France, Bosch had become a mainstay at the Sharks – racking up over 100 caps for the Durban side in all competitions – but he admits he needed a change.
“I started becoming too comfortable at the Sharks. It was a safe space for me. I knew everyone, I knew the whole of Durban. Sometimes it is hard to leave that comfort, but it was exactly what I needed.
“The last couple of seasons in South Africa, I felt boxed in a little bit. That time in France freed me up, going back to almost how you used to play rugby at school. You see the space, and you play the space. That’s when I’m at my best.”
Opportunity in store
It shouldn’t be forgotten that the utility back – who is equally comfortable at flyhalf or fullback – is still only reaching an age where he has both experience and maturity on his side.
As the Bulls prepare to face the All Blacks this Saturday, it now remains to be seen whether Bosch can provide a reminder of his enduring class, especially for those who may have forgotten about him when he was somewhat ‘out of sight and out of mind’ in France.