NPR

Sevens fans favorites Kenya will show off their growing ambition in the XV-a-side game after being confirmed as the inaugural opponents in next month’s Champions Match – to face the best of South African domestic rugby.

The East African nation – ever-popular at the HSBC Cape Town Sevens – will meet the Carling Champion Team, consisting of players selected by fans from any of the seven Carling Currie Cup Premier Division teams.

The match is a bold initiative between Carling Black Label, sponsor of the Currie Cup, and SA Rugby who have joined forces with the intention of recognizing and rewarding the champion voices of rugby fans – who will play selector for the match.

And now African ‘neighbours’ Kenya have accepted the invitation for the showdown at Loftus Versfield on 6 November 2021.

“The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) is greatly honoured by the invitation by SARU to participate in the Carling Champions Cup in Pretoria,” said Oduor Gangla, chairman of the Kenya Rugby Union.

“This will be an excellent opportunity for the Simbas to play against top-notch professional opponents even as we prepare for the international test matches coming up. The experience of such matches is truly priceless as we prepare for the Rugby World Cup qualifiers next year.

“We are very grateful to Carling and SARU for granting us this unique invitation and look forward to an exciting start to our international window matches.”

Meanwhile Arné Rust, Carling Black Label Brand Director said votes were streaming in from fans to name the SA team with more than 400 000 being received to date.

“The excitement for Black Label is being able to put the power to choose the ultimate Champion Team in the hands of our champion fans, basically making their ‘fantasy team’ dreams come true. And they have responded,” he said.

“We are thrilled that Kenya have accepted an invitation to be the opponents – we’ve seen how brilliant and exciting they have been on the Sevens circuit and we’re looking forward to having our Champion Team tested by them over 80 minutes.”

As the match falls in the international window and a break in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, players from the four teams competing in the tournament are also available for selection.

“We’re delighted that our friends from Kenya have accepted the invitation,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.

“The pandemic and our inclusion in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship presented a few challenges and it has been a Champion effort all round to arrive at this day. It’s great to have a fellow African rugby nation marking the inauguration of an event that we hope to see grow as the calendar settles down and fans return in due course.”

Fans were advised that the next major announcement would see the unveiling of the Champion Team coaching and management line-up.

assfly wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:52 am So Kenya to play against an invitational SA team made up of fan-selected players:

Sevens fans favorites Kenya will show off their growing ambition in the XV-a-side game after being confirmed as the inaugural opponents in next month’s Champions Match – to face the best of South African domestic rugby.

The East African nation – ever-popular at the HSBC Cape Town Sevens – will meet the Carling Champion Team, consisting of players selected by fans from any of the seven Carling Currie Cup Premier Division teams.

The match is a bold initiative between Carling Black Label, sponsor of the Currie Cup, and SA Rugby who have joined forces with the intention of recognizing and rewarding the champion voices of rugby fans – who will play selector for the match.

And now African ‘neighbours’ Kenya have accepted the invitation for the showdown at Loftus Versfield on 6 November 2021.

“The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) is greatly honoured by the invitation by SARU to participate in the Carling Champions Cup in Pretoria,” said Oduor Gangla, chairman of the Kenya Rugby Union.

“This will be an excellent opportunity for the Simbas to play against top-notch professional opponents even as we prepare for the international test matches coming up. The experience of such matches is truly priceless as we prepare for the Rugby World Cup qualifiers next year.

“We are very grateful to Carling and SARU for granting us this unique invitation and look forward to an exciting start to our international window matches.”

Meanwhile Arné Rust, Carling Black Label Brand Director said votes were streaming in from fans to name the SA team with more than 400 000 being received to date.

“The excitement for Black Label is being able to put the power to choose the ultimate Champion Team in the hands of our champion fans, basically making their ‘fantasy team’ dreams come true. And they have responded,” he said.

“We are thrilled that Kenya have accepted an invitation to be the opponents – we’ve seen how brilliant and exciting they have been on the Sevens circuit and we’re looking forward to having our Champion Team tested by them over 80 minutes.”

As the match falls in the international window and a break in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, players from the four teams competing in the tournament are also available for selection.

“We’re delighted that our friends from Kenya have accepted the invitation,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.

“The pandemic and our inclusion in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship presented a few challenges and it has been a Champion effort all round to arrive at this day. It’s great to have a fellow African rugby nation marking the inauguration of an event that we hope to see grow as the calendar settles down and fans return in due course.”

Fans were advised that the next major announcement would see the unveiling of the Champion Team coaching and management line-up.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:56 am We are the new guardians of rugby.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:56 am

assfly wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:52 am So Kenya to play against an invitational SA team made up of fan-selected players:

Sevens fans favorites Kenya will show off their growing ambition in the XV-a-side game after being confirmed as the inaugural opponents in next month’s Champions Match – to face the best of South African domestic rugby.

The East African nation – ever-popular at the HSBC Cape Town Sevens – will meet the Carling Champion Team, consisting of players selected by fans from any of the seven Carling Currie Cup Premier Division teams.

The match is a bold initiative between Carling Black Label, sponsor of the Currie Cup, and SA Rugby who have joined forces with the intention of recognizing and rewarding the champion voices of rugby fans – who will play selector for the match.

And now African ‘neighbours’ Kenya have accepted the invitation for the showdown at Loftus Versfield on 6 November 2021.

“The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) is greatly honoured by the invitation by SARU to participate in the Carling Champions Cup in Pretoria,” said Oduor Gangla, chairman of the Kenya Rugby Union.

“This will be an excellent opportunity for the Simbas to play against top-notch professional opponents even as we prepare for the international test matches coming up. The experience of such matches is truly priceless as we prepare for the Rugby World Cup qualifiers next year.

“We are very grateful to Carling and SARU for granting us this unique invitation and look forward to an exciting start to our international window matches.”

Meanwhile Arné Rust, Carling Black Label Brand Director said votes were streaming in from fans to name the SA team with more than 400 000 being received to date.

“The excitement for Black Label is being able to put the power to choose the ultimate Champion Team in the hands of our champion fans, basically making their ‘fantasy team’ dreams come true. And they have responded,” he said.

“We are thrilled that Kenya have accepted an invitation to be the opponents – we’ve seen how brilliant and exciting they have been on the Sevens circuit and we’re looking forward to having our Champion Team tested by them over 80 minutes.”

As the match falls in the international window and a break in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, players from the four teams competing in the tournament are also available for selection.

“We’re delighted that our friends from Kenya have accepted the invitation,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.

“The pandemic and our inclusion in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship presented a few challenges and it has been a Champion effort all round to arrive at this day. It’s great to have a fellow African rugby nation marking the inauguration of an event that we hope to see grow as the calendar settles down and fans return in due course.”

Fans were advised that the next major announcement would see the unveiling of the Champion Team coaching and management line-up.

We are the new guardians of rugby.

bok_viking wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 12:26 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:56 am

assfly wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:52 am So Kenya to play against an invitational SA team made up of fan-selected players:

We are the new guardians of rugby.

I like the idea of a fan selected team to play yearly during this window against other African countries, would actually have been good if they could play a few games against Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabe, etc. Maybe the fans should select which coach they want for the team as well I will go watch the game if we are in the stadiums by then.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 12:25 pm U20 semi final Lions vs $hark$

FalseBayFC wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 8:50 am The Province no 14 in this match is a schoolboy superstar Ebenezer Tshimanga. In matric at Wynberg Boys High School. He scored a hattrick in this game against the Bulls. He is Congolese born but qualifies for SA through residency.

Unfortunately he's off to France next year. I am hoping that he'll consider eligibility for SA if he ever becomes good enough. Seems WP aren't able to retain the players they develop. Too much buffet and sous for the suits.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 9:17 am

FalseBayFC wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 8:50 am The Province no 14 in this match is a schoolboy superstar Ebenezer Tshimanga. In matric at Wynberg Boys High School. He scored a hattrick in this game against the Bulls. He is Congolese born but qualifies for SA through residency.

Unfortunately he's off to France next year. I am hoping that he'll consider eligibility for SA if he ever becomes good enough. Seems WP aren't able to retain the players they develop. Too much buffet and sous for the suits.

Yep, but the proof is in the WP schools pudding.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 9:55 amI
Do you think WP can beat the Welpies?

FalseBayFC wrote: Sat Oct 30, 2021 6:32 am For those of you interested in some local rugby today. The SA u20 final is on YT. I've been following the comp so far and am very encouraged by the quality of play. My view of the top prospects for senior rugby going forward. Lots of talent among the others but these kids caught the eye. I think Lions will take this.

Lions
Quan Horn - very pacy but smallish fullback. Tyrone Greene type. Runs great lines and good under high ball. Would be awesome for the Blitzboks

Henco van Wyk - brilliant young no.13. Apparently a little injury prone and not the biggest but has all the tools. Some good YT videos about him.

Tyler Bocks - tall physical inside centre. Can mix bosh with offloading game and has good gas.

Jurich Claasens - Flyhalf -short squat powerhouse. Very good acceleration and likes to take it to the line like a little tank. Has a very polished kicking game from the hand or place.

Ruan Venter - very impressive opensider with a huge engine. Non stop workrate

Izan Esterhuizen - Monument Hoer monster. More Willem Alberts than Juan Smith. Brutal defender.

WP
Connor Evans - Mobile and powerful lock. I watched a lot of him at Bishops in 2019. Will probably move to flank in senior rugby.

Dylan de Leeuw - Seriously athletic lineout specialist. 2.02 and 110kg.

Bobby Alexander - livewire scrumhalf who likes to run rather than kick. Huge rugby IQ and lightning fast.

Sasha Mngomezulu - England qualified through dad. Outrageously gifted. Didn't really kick on as much as I thought he would. Could be Dan Carter like if he cuts out the odd flaky moment. Part of the brilliant 2019 Bishops team. A big tall flyhalf too which is great.

Ebenzer Tshimanga - Congolese born baby elephant winger. Still at Wynberg Boys. Huge and fast. Apparently France are already sending him offers. He is almost SA qualified through citizenship so would be a huge pity. Also plays on the flank

Link to livestream at 1pm

Currie Cup XV: 15 Sibongile Novuka, Werner Kok, 13 Chris Smit, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11. Stravino Jacobs, 10 Brandon Thomson, 9 Keagan Johannes, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Phumzile Maqondwana, 6 Nama Xaba, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 PJ Steenkamp, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Schalk Erasmus, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima
Replacements: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Mhleli Dlamini, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 George Whitehead, 23 Stedman Gans

Non-playing replacements: 24 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 25 Chad Solomon, 26 Leolin Zas, 27 Ginter Smuts, 28 Tian Meyer, 29 Ashlon Davids, 30 Marius Louw

Kenya squad:

Forwards: Ian Njenga, Joshua Chisanga, Andrew Siminyu, Eugene Sifuna, Griffin Musila, Boniface Ochieng, Ephraim Oduor, Patrick Ouko, Joseph Odero, Malcolm Onsando, Thomas Okeyo, George Nyambua, Dan Sikuta (captain), Brian Juma, Fidel Oloo, Steve Sakari, Elkeans Musonye.

Backs: Barry Robinson, Brian Wahinya*, Jone Kubu, Brian Tanga, Derrick Ashiundu*, John Okoth, Vincent Onyala, Samuel Asati, Peter Kilonzo, Darwin Mukidza (vice-captain), Jacob Ojee, Isaac Njoroge, Andrew Matoka.

Date: Saturday, November 6
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 13.00 (11.00 GMT)
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni