Curwin Bosch's confident return shows signs of Sharks prodigy's revival under Neil Powell

Curwin Bosch, a player with still enormous unfulfilled promise, made a confident return to the field in the flyhalf’s first United Rugby Championship (URC) outing when the Sharks beat the Ospreys 25-10 at Kings Park on Friday.

Bosch scored 15 of his side’s points, including a crucial try that took the match away from the Welsh, and generally dictated terms, putting the Sharks in better positions to play.

It was a stark contrast to the scattergun performance his deputy Boeta Chamberlain, who moved to fullback, displayed at flyhalf when the Sharks lost 35-0 to Cardiff last weekend, a result that shook the franchise to its core and claimed head coach Sean Everitt’s head.

READ | Moodie, Arendse combine to spark thumping Bulls win as Cardiff crash down to earth

If the Sharks are to revive their uncertain and inconsistent start to the URC and mount a European Champions Cup challenge, they’ll need Bosch at his confident best.

"You could see that Curwin hadn’t played in a while – maybe a little bit rusty in the first half," director of rugby Neil Powell said.

"But he also got his confidence as the match went on and I think it showed when he tried that penalty goal from inside his half in the second half.

"It’s great to have Curwin back. It’s his first game back after a long injury.

"I think he can build on that performance and hopefully get into firing on all cylinders when we come back next weekend."

Under departed coach Everitt, Bosch had periods when he was so good that a Springbok recall looked a certainty and times when you wondered where his confidence had gone.

In 2020, before Covid curtained the Super Rugby season, Bosch was at his sensational best, as he was when the Sharks made the first of two Currie Cup finals in 2021, where