Davids up to the task in Junior Boks versus Varsity Cup Dream Team clash
JOBURG – Newly-capped Bok Sevens player, Zain Davids will relish the prospect of getting the Junior Boks over the finish line when the Junior Boks face the Varsity Cup Dream Team in Stellenbosch tomorrow.
Newly-capped Bok Sevens player, Zain Davids will lead the charge for the Junior Boks against the Varsity Cup Dream Team in an exhibition match at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch tomorrow (24 April).
Davids and his teammates will only have victory in mind against the crème de la crème of varsity rugby.
Junior Boks coach, Chean Roux named his 23-man squad earlier today, which features Davids and Stedman Gans, both of whom have been playing for the Blitzboks in the HSBC Sevens World Series. “This match will serve as the last chance to see what the players have to offer before we begin to finalise our squad for the World Rugby U20 Championship (starting on 31 May), so it is a significant match for the players and the coaches,” said Roux. “For some of our players this will be their first match with us, as injuries and other commitments ruled them out of contention for our other warm-up games, and we are excited to see what they have to offer. This match will also offer us the opportunity to test a few new player combinations.”
Roux, who guided Maties to three successive Varsity Cup titles between 2008 and 2010, is encouraged by the progress made by the squad in the team’s last three outings, which included a 24–5 demolition of the Free State XV in their last warm-up match. He said he hoped that his side could build on that against the Dream Team and was expecting a tough challenge from the opposition.
“The Varsity Cup Dream Team is made up of the top performers in the competition throughout the season, so they will test us, and that is exactly what we want,” Roux said. “We will be playing against the best U20 teams in the world in Georgia, and we need to be as well prepared as possible to have a shot at winning the title.
“I was pleased with our defence in our warm-up matches up to now, and I would like to see the team build on that high standard on Tuesday, and deliver a solid performance all around. We have had more time to work on our lineouts and scrummaging over the last week in Stellenbosch, and we hope to see that contribute to an effective performance.”
Details: The match will kick-off at 7pm at the Danie Craven Stadium.
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