Franco Smith to coach Varsity Cup Dream Team against Junior Boks
Varsity Cup has named their Dream Team to play against the Junior Boks.
Tuks, from Shimlas and two from UCT with one each from Maties and UKZN will be making up the rest of the squad. Innocent Radebe is the only player from the Varsity Shield to make the squad.
The team will be coached by Franco Smith, who took FNB Shimlas to their Varsity Cup title, with support from Hendro Scholtz (Kovsies) and David Manual (Tuks).
The team will be completed by Quinton van Rooyen and Tanya Green from Maties, who will serve as team manager and physio respectively, and Timothy Qumbu from Shimlas will be the sports scientist.
“The strength of this team reflects the wealth of talent that takes part in the Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield competitions. A number of these players have already started to make inroads at franchises and as junior level at South Africa’s provincial teams. We are confident that they will put on a solid fight against the Junior Springboks,” said Duitser Bosman, CEO of Varsity Sports.
“The momentum for the Varsity Cup Dream Team and the Junior Boks fixture is now really starting to build. The Junior Boks have recently named a 37-man training squad ahead of the 2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship and once the Junior Boks for this fixture are selected, it will give us a close look at a group of promising players and how they responded to the instructions given to them during their training camp. The youngsters spent valuable time with the SARU Mobi-Unit, and I am sure they now have a good understanding of our playing principles and structures,”said Jurie Roux, CEO of the South African Rugby Union (SARU).
FNB UP-Tuks players Dan Kriel and Jaco Visagie are not available for selection, and have been replaced. Kriel’s spot at inside centre has been taken by Johan Deysel, who will now link up with his FNB NWU-Pukke centre partner in midfield. Visagie was due to start as a replacement, and experienced FNB UFS-Shimlas hooker Elandre Hugget will now take his spot on the bench.
Varsity Cup Dream Team (revised): 15 Rhyno Smith (NWU-Pukke), 14 Maphutha Dolo (UFS-Shimlas), 13 Rowayne Beukman (NWU-Pukke), 12 Johan Deysel (NWU-Pukke), 11 Jean-Paul Lewis (Maties), 10 Innocent Radebe (UKZN-Impi), 9 Dillon Smit (NWU-Pukke), 8 Jeandre Rudolph (NWU-Pukke), 7 Henco Venter (UFS-Shimlas), 6 Wiaan Liebenberg (UP-Tuks), 5 Reniel Hugo (captain) (UP-Tuks), 4 Irne Herbst (UP-Tuks), 3 John-Roy Jenkinson (NWU-Pukke), 2 Chad Solomon (UCT-Ikeys), 1 Johan Smith (NWU-Pukke).
Replacements: 16 Nqobisizwe Mxoli (UP-Tuks), 17 Elandre Hugget (UFS-Shimlas), 18 Dayan van der Westhuizen (UP-Tuks), 19 Walt Steenkamp (NWU-Pukke), 20 Gerhard Olivier (UFS-Shimlas), 21 Mthokozisi Mkhabela (UFS-Shimlas), 22 Johnny Welthagen (NWU-Pukke), 23 Lihleli Xoli (UCT).
