The 2019 Currie Cup gets underway on Friday the 12th of July. Darry Worthington gives his Seven players to keep an eye on this season.
The Currie Cup is a breeding ground for future Springboks and this year’s tournament could unearth a gem or two who could well be wearing a green and gold jersey in the near future.
Below, we’ll take a look at eight players who could make a real statement during this Currie Cup campaign.
Tyrone Green
Union: Golden Lions
Age: 21
Position: Utility Back
The former South African Under 20 made his Lions debut in last season’s Currie Cup and has continued to impress making his Super Rugby debut earlier this year. He has caught the eye of Lions Super Rugby coach Swys de Bruin who singled the Jeppe Old Boy out for special praise after the Lions come-from-behind victory over the Rebels.
He’s a handy player to have on your roster as he is able to cover almost every position in the backline. He’s a great counter-attacker and has a blistering turn of pace. He’s also solid in the tackle, with his only real weakness being his kicking game.
Jamba Ulengo
Union: Free State Cheetahs
Age: 29
Position: Wing
The former Bulls man may be slightly longer in the tooth than his compatriots on this list but he has been in devastating form this year having topped the try-scoring charts in the recently concluded SuperSport Rugby Challenge, where he dotted down 10 times in just seven games.
Ulengo has incredible gas but is also a rather physical winger weighing in at a solid 100 kilograms. The one-Cap Springbok will be looking to revive a rugby career that took a bit of a nose dive in 2018 when he was released from the Bulls.
Phendulani ‘Pepsi” Buthelezi
Union: Natal Sharks
Age: 20
Position: Flanker
While the Springbok Under 20 captain isn’t currently registered in the Sharks Currie Cup squad he will surely be a member of the matchday team come the tournament’s opener on Friday the 12th of July.
Buthelezi has already made his Super Rugby debut this year turning out in the Sharks run-on XV against the Rebels in March.
The young gun is a very speedy loosie and also links play extremely well. He also gets through a lot of breakdown work and is a real warhorse when it comes to the defensive side of the game.
With the Sharks set to lose a number of talented loose forwards next season, Buthelezi could well cement his place in the Sharks Super Rugby side with a solid showing in this season’s Currie Cup.
Rosko Specman
Union: Blue Bulls
Age: 30
Position: Wing
The oldest man on this list but certainly not the slowest. The former Blitzbok was nothing short of sensational during this year’s Super Rugby tournament delivering moments of magic game in and game out.
It’s rather surprising that he’s failed to make Rassie Erasmus’ Springbok training squad with Dillyn Lleyds – who made the squad – being a similar type of player and having made less of an impact than Specman did during the Super Rugby season.
Hope springs eternal, however, and an impressive Currie Cup campaign, coupled with a few injuries to those in the Springbok training squad, could well lead to Specman going to this year’s World Cup.
Devon Williams
Union: Pumas
Age: 27
Position: Wing/Fullback
The former Western Province man may look like he’s just got out of school but Williams is now a vastly experienced campaigner who has been capped at Super Rugby level.
He played a unique role for the Pumas during the SuperSport Rugby Challenge where he was used in short 25-minute bursts – rolling substitutes are allowed in the SuperSprort Rugby Challenge – but with the Currie Cup not featuring rolling subs, Williams is likely to start most games for the Pumas.
Michal Haznar
Union: Griquas
Age: 24
Position: Wing/Centre
The former Stellenbosch University stalwart was cut from the Western Province Union last season and has since moved on to the Griquas.
Haznar caught the eye on many occasion during the last few Varsity Cups with his blistering pace and dancing feet leaving opponents chasing at shadows. It’s rather surprising that he hasn’t been called up to the Namibian World Cup training squad, but his country of berths loss is the Griquas gain.
Carlu Sadie
Union: Western Province
Age: 22
Position: Prop
The young prop saw his stock rise greatly during the Super Rugby season with the 22-year-old being one of the Lions best players.
His career looked to be stagnating at the turn of the year, with the Stormers deeming him surplus to their needs he went on loan to the Lions where he produced some eye-catching performances.
Sadie will return to the Cape for the Currie Cup season and is likely to play a key role for a Western Province who are determined to claim the title.
