Nearly a decade after his second Test cap, the Bulls flyhalf believes a spell in France has made him a freer, more complete player, and he wants back in the Bok mix.
Curwin Bosch has not given up on the green and gold. The 29-year-old, who recently moved from French side Brive to the Bulls, says his international ambitions are very much alive.
Bosch joins Handre Pollard as an experienced option at No 10 and made his URC debut for his new team against Zebre Parma last weekend. It marks a fresh chapter after seven years at the Sharks and a stint overseas that he says helped him grow as both a person and a player.
Once tipped as one of South African rugby’s brightest talents, Bosch earned two Test caps at just 20 years old. He never managed to build on that start at international level, but he insists the drive is still there.
“The day those ambitions go away, I will stop playing rugby,” he said. He believes that by combining experience, knowledge and the freedom he wants to play with, his confidence will follow. His belief is simple: his best is good enough for the Springboks.
What France gave him
Bosch described his time at Brive as a mental reset. Away from outside noise, he could focus purely on playing. He felt boxed in during his final seasons in South Africa, whereas in France he returned to something close to his schoolboy style: see the space, play the space.
Number 10 or nothing?
Bosch can cover fullback, but his preference is clear. Flyhalf is where he is most comfortable, with the ball in hand and running the show. He is relishing the competition at the Bulls, saying it will bring out the best in him.
