England and Bath lock Charlie Ewels has urged fellow English players to consider following in his footsteps and seeking opportunities with South African rugby teams.
Ewels, who is currently on loan with the Vodacom Bulls while nursing his way back from an injured ACL, has praised the intensity and level of competition in South Africa, as well as the sense of unity he has experienced at the Pretoria outfit.
He believes that other English players could benefit from a similar arrangement and hopes that the Bulls can also learn from his experience.
Speaking at a Bulls media conference, Ewels, who has won 30 caps for England and made over 100 appearances for Bath, said: “I’ve learned so much in the last three to four weeks. There’s roughly 92 people in the organisation [at Bulls] and I’m the only person who’s not South African. That’s so unique in terms of northern hemisphere rugby.
“So, particularly if any young guys said to me, ‘I’m not playing much rugby and I’m thinking about the Bulls or whoever wants me for a period of time’, I would strongly encourage them to go and experience it.
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“On the flipside, I’d hope the Bulls would say they’ve learnt from me and this isn’t just a one-way relationship.”
He went on to describe, “the feeling of family and togetherness” within the Bulls setup, something that he believes is special. He also spoke about the physical nature of the Currie Cup, which he believes will benefit him in all aspects of the contact area.
Ewels will be starting at No 5 for the Bulls against the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld in the Currie Cup on Saturday, and he is determined to push beyond the level he was at before his injury.
He is honing his technique, particularly around the tackle and the breakdown, and he believes that the competition is giving him the perfect platform to develop his game.
The 27-year-old is also hoping to catch the eye of England coach Steve Borthwick, and he has been speaking to him about his progress and what he needs to work on.
Ewels admits that he would love to be in the frame for England’s World Cup squad, but he is focusing on improving his performance week by week.
The @BlueBullsRugby have never beaten the Stormers in the @Vodacom #URC, and it’s going to stay that way when they collide in the quarter-final at DHL Stadium, according to @mark_keohane and Zels. pic.twitter.com/D0L9lXKKF5
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) May 5, 2023
Photo: Thinus Maritz/BackpagePix