Curwin Bosch says he believes his best rugby can still earn him a place in the Springboks squad, almost a decade after winning his second Test cap.
The 29-year-old fly-half recently joined the Bulls from French club Brive, adding experience at number 10 alongside Handre Pollard. He made his United Rugby Championship debut for the Bulls against Zebre Parma last weekend.
Bosch spent seven years with the Sharks before moving overseas, where he says his time in France helped him develop both personally and professionally. He now feels ready to challenge for international selection again.
As a teenager, Bosch was viewed as one of South Africa’s most promising backline players. He won his first two Test caps at the age of 20, but was unable to establish himself at that level.
His international ambitions, however, remain unchanged.
“The day those ambitions go away, I will stop playing rugby,” Bosch said. “I know if I combine the experience, the knowledge and play with that freedom that I want to play with, the confidence will be there.
“My best will be good enough to make the Springbok team.”
Bosch described his period with former European champions Brive as an important reset after feeling restricted during his final seasons in South Africa.
“It was a mental break, if I can put it like that,” he said.
“It was just so good for me mentally, to spend a bit of time in France, just to get the shackles off and get back to doing what I do best and that’s just to play rugby.
“There were no side shows going on, no distractions. I could just focus on playing rugby. I just felt like I was a lot more free.”
He believes the change allowed him to rediscover the attacking instincts that had defined his early career.
“The last couple of seasons I spent in South Africa, I felt I was boxed a little bit,” Bosch said. “That time in France just freed me up a little bit more.
“I was going back to almost how I used to play rugby at school. You see the space and you play the space. That’s when I’m at my best. I’ve got a little bit of that back over the last two years.”
Bosch is also capable of playing at full-back, but his preference remains clear.
“I will always prefer 10,” he said. “That’s the position I am most comfortable in, getting the ball in my hands and sort of running the show. That’s when I’m at my best.”
He accepts that competition for the position is strong but believes it can help him improve.
“The competition that’s there in my position is unbelievable. It’s really healthy and I’m looking forward to it. It’s just going to bring out the best in me. It’s exciting times.”
