Cheswill Jooste steals the show in Bulls rout

Cheswill Jooste announced himself on the European stage with a sensational hat-trick as the Bulls demolished Stade Français in their Investec Champions Cup opener at Loftus Versfeld.

The 20-year-old winger’s three tries were among the highlights of a dazzling attacking display that saw Johan Ackermann’s side score 56 points against the French visitors.

Speaking on the Keo & Zels Show, Mark Keohane and Zelim Nel were particularly impressed by Jooste’s extraordinary acceleration, finishing ability and confidence to attack defenders on the outside.

“The burst on that kid, his first two steps, it’s like he’s glitching the Matrix. He’s gone,” Nel said.

“He rounded that kid who was supposed to be defending him like he wasn’t even there.”

Nel compared Jooste’s explosiveness to that of Springbok superstar Cheslin Kolbe, describing the winger as a rare talent who combines exceptional speed with rugby intelligence.

Keohane, who watched the match from Loftus, was equally impressed.

He highlighted Jooste’s ability to maintain his speed while changing direction, comparing his running style to that of a 200-metre sprinter.

“He runs on that glide, on that curve. He can beat you on the outside if he’s got enough space,” Keohane said.

The try was particularly remarkable because Jooste had only just returned from scoring when he received the kickoff and immediately launched another devastating attack.

Keohane believes Jooste possesses the kind of raw pace that can transform matches, recalling the influence of Bryan Habana and Tonderai Chavhanga during their playing careers.

He referenced former Springbok coach Jake White’s insistence that exceptional speed remains one of rugby’s most valuable attacking weapons.

While Jooste commanded much of the attention, the Bulls produced several other moments of individual brilliance.

Loose forward Jeandré Rudolph delivered one of the weekend’s standout tries with a remarkable piece of skill, kicking ahead, regathering and then kicking again before collecting the ball to score.

The effort earned Rudolph the show’s STECO hybrid moment, recognising his ability to combine the physical attributes of a forward with the skills traditionally associated with a backline player.

The Bulls’ attacking performance was complemented by the experience of Handré Pollard, who was faultless from the kicking tee with eight successful attempts.

Cameron Hanekom also made an impressive contribution, scoring a try and producing four offloads during his 54 minutes on the field.

Nel singled out Harold Vorster’s deft attacking kick and Sebastian de Klerk’s exceptional work rate as further examples of the Bulls’ growing attacking variety.

He believes the combination of forward power, tactical kicking and explosive finishing makes Johan Ackermann’s side increasingly difficult to contain.

“When you add that sort of power from that pack to the goal-kicking, and then the extreme speed and finishing ability they have, they really are a complete product,” Nel said.

For Keohane, Jooste’s performance was the highlight of a memorable afternoon at Loftus.

And with the winger only 20 years old, the Bulls may have uncovered a player capable of becoming one of South African rugby’s biggest stars.