The 12 universities that will be in action at the Varsity 7s 2019 tournament at the Pirates Club in Greenside, Johannesburg on 4 and 5 October, have announced their squads for this year’s instalment of Varsity 7s.
Defending champions, UP-Tuks have named only four returnees from the triumphant 2018 squad but that number is among the highest of this year’s teams . It can also not be forgotten that the Stripe Generation recently claimed the 2019 USSA title so should start as favourites for the two day festival of sevens rugby.
EDITOR’S CHOICE:
* Varsity 7s Group A set for a straight shootout
* Heavyweight Varsity 7s Group B tough to call
* Varsity 7s Group C has distinctly Cape feel to it
Maties lead the way in that half their 2018 squad will be at Pirates again, and will hope those six players use their experience to guide the Maroon Machine to better than the 5th-place finish they mustered last year.
UFH, who last took part in 2016, understandably are the only team who have named 12 players who will make their #Varsity7sFest debut this time around.
Here are the Varsity 7s 2019 squads:
GROUP A
Kovsies: *1 Keanan Murray, 2 Charl Pretorius, 3 Menzi Nhlabathi, *4 Ruan Henning, 5 JP Duvenage, 6 William Eybers, 7 Jarik van der Walt, 8 Vusi Mkhonza, 9 Gustav Meyer, 10 SJ Fourie, 11 Cham Zondeki, 12 Luyanda Mkhize.
UFH: 1 Lwando Nteta, 2 Uyanda Sigutya, 3 Rocur Julies, 4 Kamvalethu Menze, 5 Lindokuhle Kenene, 6 Msimelelo Sophotela, 7 Farai Chikamhi, 8 Siviwe Bisset, 9 Yamkela Mahintsho, 10 Brandt Fields, 11 Aphiwe Rilityana, 12 Hlanganisani George.
UP-Tuks: 1 Raegan Oranje, *2 Stephan Smit, 3 Michael Amiras, 4 Enrique Oranje, 5 Timothy Allies, *6 Lourens Pretorius, *7 Cornel Korff, 8 Irvin Ali, *9 Dewald Naudé, 10 Jaco Snyman, 11 Luke Haynes, 12 Stefan Coetzee.
Wits: *1 Christopher Worthington, 2 Michael De Kock, *3 Thomas Berman, 4 Sipho Siboza, 5 Pascal Snyman, 6 Luke Jonker, 7 Siya Xulu, 8 Luke Bramhall, 9 Runaldo Pedro, 10 Anele Makongolo, 11 Baphelele Pango, *12 Moemisi Mosheledi.
GROUP B
Madibaz: 1 Kholiwe Konza, *2 Riaan Esterhuizen, *3 Ivan-John du Preez, 4 Kyle Cyster, 5 Charles Radebe, 6 Chadwyn November, 7 Anoviwe Moyikwa, 8 Luciano Jones, 9 Jordan Koekemoer, 10 Joshua Oosthuysen, *11 Njabulo Toni, *12 Nathan Kemp.
NWU: 1 Gustav Erlank, 2 Anelka Barends, 3 Reuben du Plooy, *4 Caleb Louw, 5 Lungelo Gosa, 6 Kagiso Woodbridge, 7 Gerard Meyer, *8 Wessel Kuhn, 9 Joao Cristovam, 10 Sylvester Hassien, 11 Ruvo du Preez, 12 Lincoln Daniels.
UCT: 1 Ross Goodwin, 2 Tom Webber, *3 Damian Rawstorne, 4 Skinny Buthelezi, 5 Lindelwe Zungu, *6 Seb Roodt, 7 Anathi Hoyi, 8 Tristan Mouton, 9 Ed Boxall, 10 Kwezi Puza, 11 Jordan Russell, 12 Taine Muirhead.
UJ: *1 Dorian Robertson, 2 Musawenkosi Tshabalala, 3 Nkondlo Radebe, *4 Johan Esterhuizen, 5 Mpho Kubheka, 6 Edwin Jansen, 7 Nqubeko Mkhwanazi, 8 Siphiwe Mazibuko, 9 Kelvin Kanenungo, *10 Odwa Nkunjana, 11 Shaun Williams, 12 Divan Henning.
GROUP C
CPUT: 1 Mogamat Hendricks, 2 Leano Haupt, 3 Muller van der Westhuizen, 4 Colin April, 5 Mario Wilson, *6 Chadd Fortuin, 7 Vivian Coenraad, Ruduwhan September, 9 George-Lee Erasmus, 10 Ralton October, *11 Randy Brinkhuis, 12 Delano Dietrich.
Maties: *1 Dana Fourie, *2 Iver Aanhuizen, 3 Hein Kritzinger, *4 Morné Taljaard, 5 George Lourens, *6 Lynn-Jay Hendricks, *7 Frederick van Zyl, 8 Xhanti Nokoyo, 9 Nikkie Ferreira, *10 Michael Visser, 11 Sibusiso Mhlom, 12 Jacquin Marthinus.
UWC: *1 Hendrik Carstens, 2 Keanu Johnson, *3 Bradman Grove, 4 Gerardo Jaars, *5 Tristan Leyds, 6 Tasriq Mynhardt, *7 Rohaan Adams, *8 Jason Cloete, 9 Durin Nasson, 10 Sibusiso Madonsela, 11 Duren Hoffman, 12 Tariq Albertus.
WSU: 1 Yamkela Nyembe, 2 Miyelani Ngobeni, *3 Lusanda Xakwana, 4 Litha Nkula, 5 Busani Hini, 6 Vuyisa Ngesi, 7 Siphenkosi Goloza, *8 Damon Sinuka, 9 Sakhele Ngeno, 10 Lwandile Mapuko, *11 Luvo Matiwane, 12 Wanga Shumi.
*played in Varsity 7s 2018.
Tickets to the #Varsity7sFest on 4-5 October 2019 at Pirates Club, Greenside can be purchased via the Varsity Sports App (iOS and Android) or here: https://varsitysportsa.plankton.mobi
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