By Michael Vlismas.
@Galloimages.
Dublin, Ireland (22 September 2021) – Vodacom Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen literally left his teammates eating his dust and shocked all when he raced away from speedsters like Madosh Tambwe and Cornal Hendricks, and brushed off hits from forwards Bismarck du Plessis and Arno Botha in a high-intensity session on Wednesday. Of go-karting.
On a rare day off from Vodacom United Rugby Championship duty as they prepare for Saturday’s clash with Leinster, the Vodacom Bulls players decided to hit the racetrack at Dublin’s Kylemore Karting – home of Ireland’s largest indoor karting circuit.
But this was certainly no ordinary racetrack the men from Loftus Versfeld were given access to. The pride of Ireland’s national rugby team had burnt rubber here before, as had Formula 1 drivers Damon Hill and Eddie Irvine. Irish football great Robbie Keane had also graced this circuit on no less auspicious occasion than his birthday. But it was when they arrived and saw “Lady Gaga” on the driver’s Wall of Fame that the Vodacom Bulls clearly knew they were entering a high-performance arena worthy of their own status as elite athletes. And they rose to the challenge.
After all, you may give a world-class rugby player the day off. But that doesn’t mean he’s given his own competitive nature the day off.
The qualifying laps were furious. Mornay Smith showed his intent with a top time of 27.9 seconds in qualifying. Keegan Johannes blitzed the circuit in 27.3 seconds. Cornal Hendricks screeched around in 27.2 seconds. But nobody saw the big man coming. Sitting quietly in the corner in his driver’s suit, Bismarck du Plessis put on his helmet, climbed into his go-kart and smashed qualifying with a time of 26.9 seconds. It was unnervingly close to the 24-second all-time track record, and he returned to the driver’s waiting area to massive cheers from his teammates.
The quarterfinals and semis confirmed a number of things. First, Stedman Gans is not to be underestimated, even when starting further back on the grid. Second, Cornal Hendricks has pace and experience to burn, and can drift with the best of them. Third, Arno Botha. That’s all. Just Arno Botha. Fourth, Johan Goosen is just a little bit competitive. And fifth, kart number three is the fastest and is to be pounced on like a loose ball if you can get it.
By the time the 15-lap Grand Final came around, Goosen, WJ Steenkamp, Hendricks, Gans, Botha and Harold Vorster sat on the grid with their engines revving and their teammates cheering from the sidelines. And it was electric.
Goosen had pole position and was quick off the mark. He led easily through the first two laps, with Botha and Gans hot on his wheels. When Goosen broke, he took Botha with him and they two of them followed each other as tightly as a Vodacom Bulls driving mall through the twists and turns. On lap 10, Botha came inches close to taking Goosen on the inside. But the back’s experience was just too good for the forward. And in the shock move of the race, as Botha was focused on catching Goosen, he didn’t see Gans sneak up behind him and suddenly overtake him in the dying laps.
Goosen took the chequered flag in first place, followed by Gans and then Botha.
As Wednesdays go in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, it was fast. It was furious. And as Lady Gaga herself would’ve sung, it was definitely worthy of “Applause”.