Africa-Press – South-Africa. The United Rugby Championship (URC) start has thrown up some interesting games but, more than that, some eye-catching players have won plaudits for their performances in the first four rounds.
Last year, Stormers eighthman Evan Roos was the star boy to keep a watch on, while various others, such as the Bulls backline duo of Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse announced themselves.
However, this year, the attention has gone to players that you’d not have originally picked to be the standout South African performers this early in season two of the URC.
Henco van Wyk (Lions)
The outside centre is very much inside the centre of attention right now following sparkling performances since the start of this season’s URC, even in defeat to the Bulls at Ellis Park in the opening round.
Who would have thought that after losing Wandisile Simelane to the Bulls that the Lions would unearth another gem in the position so quickly?
The Junior Springbok, though, did have a huge reputation at Under-20 level and as a schoolboy but his transition since making his debut in the senior Lions team at the end of last season has been nothing short of outstanding.
He is abrasive, quick, is a good defender and distributor – all the things you want from your No 13. And has a voracious appetite for the try line, like another former Lions second centre who now coaches their defence (Jaque Fourie).
Ruan Venter (Lions)
You only need to look at the mini-highlight reel of Venter putting Scottish international Hamish Watson in his place in Edinburgh to know the quality the 19-year-old possesses.
He made 15 tackles in the match, didn’t miss a single one, and was a general lovely-on-the-eye nuisance around the park.
Venter looked like a turbocharged Warwick Tecklenburg during the peak Johan Ackermann and Swys de Bruin years when they made the Super Rugby final three years straight.
After losing Vincent Tshituka (another big-name departure), yet again the Lions have ably replaced a superstar with a younger, hungrier model.
Sanele Nohamba (Lions)
This list is clearly an homage to the Lions and the fabulous, albeit surprising, start they’ve had so far, winning all three of their games on tour.
But you cannot begrudge them for the stellar performances of their individuals, who have revived their careers in Johannesburg.
Nohamba fits the revival bill to the tee. The scrumhalf has taken to his new team and teammates like someone offered a second chance in life.
He fell badly out of the reckoning at the Sharks, so much so that it seemed his career would be completely derailed.
At the Lions, however, he is running the game like the Springbok he almost became. His halfback combination with pivot Gianni Lombard has been the icing on a sumptuous cake.
Thaakir Abrahams (Sharks)
There’s a feeling that Abrahams might complicate the Springbok outside-back selection conversation, if not now, but in close proximity to the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France a year from now.
His fight will start with his world-class teammate Makazole Mapimpi first, meaning the World Cup-winning Bok cannot drop his guard, not even slightly.
Speaking of slight, Abrahams is cut off the Gio Aplon, Cheslin Kolbe cloth and there were shades of Bryan Habana in one of the two tries he scored against Leinster in Dublin last Saturday.
He has much to improve defensively but is as deadly as they come in broken play and comes in handy when weaving an intricate backline move, too.
Grant Williams (Sharks)
The Sharks might have had an iffy start to the season but Williams’ has been anything but.
The quick scrumhalf saved his team with an intercept try that steered them past the Dragons at Rodney Parade in round three, where the hosts lost only once in their previous 10 matches.
Since becoming a Springbok, there’s a swaggering confidence about Williams that wasn’t present in previous seasons.
Also knowing that he will get good game time when his jersey partner (and competitor) Jaden Hendrikse is away on Bok duty has given him clarity of thought and execution.
On current form, it would not be a surprise if he usurped Faf de Klerk’s position in the Bomb Squad, either.
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