Naas Botha famously quipped that the Currie Cup isnt won in May. These days it isnt won in round two of the shortened competition either, but the Vodacom Bulls made a massive statement as they smashed the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV 64-0 in a one-sided game at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night.
As the Sharks will want to remind fans, this is the Sharks XV and not the United Rugby Championship version of the side. JP Pietersens young side are without many of the players that will be seen in the next few months, let alone their Springboks, and the young players who were sent to Loftus were given a stern rugby lesson.
This wasnt even men against boys. It was worse. While the Bulls were made up of their fringe URC players and a few new signings, the gulf between the sides could not have been wider, and only some spirited play at the end of the game stopped the Sharks from conceding more.