Van Graan breaks Bath trophy drought

Jake White and his team are in Dublin hoping to upset the massive odds that are against them in this season’s URC Grand Final and the coach invoked Bloody Sunday and several other lessons for his side to finally be third time lucky and in their first URC title. Hosts Brenden Nel and Liam del Carme dissect their chances in the showpiece season-ending clash, and we hear from Leinster’s Dan Sheehan and Bulls players Willie le Roux and Akker van der Merwe on what it will take to win the title. The hosts also muse on the “jersey-gate” storm in a teacup that followed the Boks new training kit this week in Joburg.

In this week’s edition of To the Last Drop, Brenden flies solo and chats all things United Rugby Championship with seasoned Rugby writer Gavin Rich. From what Jaden Hendrikse said to Jack Crowley that caused the heated exchange in the controversial quarterfinal win in Durban to the big semifinal at Loftus Versfeld this weekend, there is a lot to discuss. Have the Sharks finally got themselves into a position where they can overcome their own demons to make it to the final, or will the Bulls get to their third final in four years? The hosts break it down and make some interesting predictions.

Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt insists his team needs to storm out of their castle instead of being preoccupied defending it when they take on the Bulls in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final at Lofts Versfeld on Saturday. Everitt told the hosts of To The Last Drop his team will have to stick to what has worked for them this season if they are going to optimise their performance in Pretoria. Edinburgh is undaunted about the task facing them to win at Loftus for the first time and they draw inspiration from compatriots Glasgow Warriors' win in Pretoria in last year's final. Bulls director of rugby Jake White meanwhile underlined the need for his team to dictate terms from the start of the match. In their last clash against Edinburgh they failed to do so and paid the price. To The Last Drop hosts predict a difficult afternoon for the Sharks in their clash against Munster but expect the hosts to win in Durban if they exercise good game management. They expect the Stormers to have their hands full in their clash against the Warriors in Glasgow.

On this week's 'To The Last Drop' hosts Brenden Nel and Liam Del Carme pay tribute to Springbok and Bulls utility back Cornal Hendricks who passed away this week. Hendricks was a much loved character, as full of life as he was fight. A poor upbringing and a potentially life threatening medical condition did not stand in the way of the dreams. Even after his Test days were numbered he continued to play with his infectious, characteristic smile. The episode also delves into the Lions failure at reaching the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals for the fourth straight year. The hosts close the show with predictions for the final round of league matches in the URC.

Content creator and general funny man Bouwer Bosch chews the fat on 'To The Last Drop' this week. Bosch who has taken the advertising world by storm with some quirky and often hilarious content explains what it's like working with Springboks outside their natural habitat. He explains the often fine line he has to walk to remain edgy in his content without delivering gratuitous cheap shots. He also reveals which Boks are 'naturals' when it comes to shooting content and who he'd like to work with in future. 'To The Last Drop' hosts Liam Del Carme and Brenden Nel also look ahead to the return of the URC this weekend with the Sharks and the Bulls facing tough away assignments.

Club rugby steps out of the shadows and into sharp focus on this week's edition of 'To The Last Drop'. The community game has long operated on the periphery but it is slowly reclaiming its place in the game's eco-system. Special guest on the show is former Pirates Rugby Club Chairman and marketing and sponsorship guru Brad Guymer who shares his thoughts on the revitalisation of club rugby and runs the rule over sponsorship bonanza the Springboks recently concluded. Also on the show the Bulls away win over Bayonne is described as one of their most accomplished this season. Show hosts Liam Del Carme and Brenden Nel look ahead to the challenge facing Jake White's team against Edinburgh in the quarterfinal of the Challenge Cup this weekend. White will come up against one of his former assistants Sean Everitt in a coaches battle of wills in the Scottish capital this weekend. The show also previews some of the other matches of note in the quarterfinals of the EPCR tournaments this weekend.

SA's top players have shown an appreciable drop in performance in the United Rugby Championship the hosts of 'To The Last Drop' agreed on this week's show. Poor decision making in particular have haunted some big names and it helped contribute to the defeats the Hollywoodbets Sharks, the DHL Stormers and the Emirate Lions suffered last weekend. The Vodacom Bulls won well against Zebre Parma but they are yet to convince they can maintain intensity across 80 minutes to win three knock-out matches in a row. The show looks ahead to this weekend's round of 16 matches in the Challenge Cup with particular focus on Edinburgh against the Lions, the Bayonne against the Bulls and Lyon against the Sharks.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks' clash with Leinster in Durban appears to be the plum fixture in this weekend's round of URC action concurred 'To The Last Drop' hosts Brenden Nel and Liam Del Carme. The Sharks were made to sweat for victory last weekend against lowly Zebre Parma and our hosts agree Leinster will provide them with an even stiffer challenge this weekend. Also, on this episode director of rugby Jake White expresses his wish list for the Bulls talent pool while Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys weighs up his team's prospects against Glasgow Warriors this weekend. The hosts also sink their teeth into why Jacques Nienaber has become an easy target in Ireland as well as this weekend's fixtures in the URC.

Former Springbok assistant coach Johann van Graan made the tough move to the bottom of the English Premiership log, Bath, two years ago. It seemed like a mountain to climb. This past weekend, he led the club to their first trophy in 17 years, and they are also on course to win the Premiership. He joined "To The Last Drop" to talk about his journey, settling in Bath, and where he thinks rugby needs to go in the future.

Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff has entered a new phase of his life after he was forced to retire because of a neck injury. The popular loose head prop sat down with the hosts of 'To The Last Drop' (TTLD) and explained what the next phase of his life might entail. Kitshoff reflected on a career that saw him play in 83 Tests and collect two Rugby World Cup medals. TTLD also previews the Sharks' clash against the Lions as well as this weekend's Six Nations matches, in particular Ireland's match-up with France in Dublin.