International rugby experience awaits Carlton league stars
Several Carlton Cup stars were included in the Supa Babaas squad that will soon depart on a rugby tour to Eastern Europe, during which they will play against the national team of the Czech Republic.
A group of top club players, with several Carlton Cup stars included, will depart to Eastern Europe later this week for a tour during which they will get the rare opportunity to compete against the national team of the Czech Republic.
The Supa Babaas rugby team, which consists of top club rugby players from various unions, has so far only played in South Africa against local teams. One of the Lions’ official warm-up matches before the start of this year’s Super Rugby tournament was against this team, which is made up of some of the best club players from unions such as the Blue Bulls, Lions, Falcons and Limpopo Blue Bulls.
The Supa Babaas will now get the opportunity to travel overseas for the first time, thanks to the help of Pretoria’s well-known rugby promoter, Willem Strauss.
Strauss is the promotor of this tour, during which the Supa Babaas will play in two games in the Czech Republic. Their first game will be played against this Eastern European country’s best club side, while the tour will conclude with a match against the national team of the Czech Republic. Several South Africans play for the club side who will meet the Supa Babaas in their first tour match.
The well-known Phil Pretorius, a former coach of the Bulls in the Super Rugby tournament, is currently the Director of Rugby of the national team in the Czech Republic. Pretorius is assisted by Hein Kriek, a former coach of the SA Schools team.
These days the Czech Republic compete in the European Nations Cup. Although rugby is largely still an amateur sport in the country and they have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup, several Czech players play in professional leagues in countries like France. Under the leadership of Pretorius they have already advanced to 31st place on World Rugby’s official world rankings.
The Czech Republic will use their match against the Supa Babaas as preparation for their World Cup qualifying battle against Poland, which will take place later in October.
The Supa Babaas will on this tour be coached by one of Pretoria’s most experienced coaches, Johann Kluyts, who has decades of experience. He coached several Carlton Cup championships at the former Pretoria Police club. Kluyts also coached the Eastern Province’s Currie Cup team at professional level, where current Springbok coach, Allister Coetzee, was one of his assistants.
Strauss told Rekord that Eastern Europe is a strong growth point in world rugby and that these local club players will benefit greatly from the experience on the tour.
Bones Robbertse, big lock from Tuks, will lead the Supa Babaas on the tour as captain. Two players with Super Rugby experience will tour with the team. They are Bees Roux (prop) and Marnus Schoeman (flank). Roux played in this year’s Carlton Cup for Quins-Bobbies (QBR) until an injury shortened his season. Although he was not fit in time for QBR’s Gold Cup campaign, he would be ready to take his place in the front row on the Supa Babaas tour. Other local players in the squad are Louis van Biljon (Naka Bulls), Frederik Eksteen (Tuks), Pieter Griesel (Tuks), the brothers Theuns and Abrie Reynolds (Tuks), Etienne Oosthuizen (Tuks) and Hanco Venter (Tuks).
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