Southern Kings star loose-forwards Chris Cloete and Andisa Ntsila will start for the South African ‘A’ team when they take on the French Barbarians at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto tomorrow night.
Cloete was serving a one-match suspension during last Friday’s 36-28 win over the same opponents, and he slots straight into the blindside flank role, while Ntsila starts at eighthman after playing off the bench last week.
Ex-Selbornian Cloete and former Queenian Ntsila, both former Border schools stars, have been a part of a superb Kings loose trio in Super Rugby and their selection to the SA ‘A’ starting side is well deserved.
“I am happy to have been picked for the SA ‘A’ team. I never expect anything, so it’s really nice for me to be given a go against the French Barbarians,” said Cloete.
“It is going to be very special. It has always been a dream of mine to pull on the green and gold jersey and it will now give me something to work harder for.
“It is always nice playing with people you know, so to line up with Andisa is great.
“We have had a good group of guys here involved in the SA ‘A’ team from the Kings, and it is awesome for us to be showcasing our talent at a higher level.”
Two more Kings stars, flyhalf Lionel Cronje and wing Makazole Mapimpi both drop out of the SA ‘A’ matchday squad after putting in impressive performances on last Friday’s match.
Captaining the team will be Francois Venter, who drops back down to the side after playing off the bench for the Springboks last Saturday, and he will partner Lionel Mapoe, who also comes in after starting for the Boks against France. This comes along with wholesale changes to the squad, as just three starters from last week keep their places, with two making positional switches.
SA ‘A’ coach Johan Ackermann said the reason for all the changes is to accommodate all the players in the squad while at the same time assisting Springbok coach Allister Coetzee with a request for game time for certain players.
The three players who started at Moses Mabhida last week, King William’s Town-born Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Lwazi Mvovo and Ruan Botha, will run out again this weekend, with Notshe moving from eighthman to flank and Mvovo moving from fullback to wing, where he will partner Blitzbokke star Seabelo Senatla.
“All the players in the squad have worked incredibly hard over the last two weeks and it’s just fair to give all of them a run,” said Ackermann.
“At the same time, the Springbok cause is very important with the rest of the season in mind – I spoke to Allister and I’m glad we can assist him in giving game-time to certain players who are in his plans.”
Cloete and Ntsila will thus be looking to make the most of their chance and put in a massive performance as the SA ‘A’ side looks to wrap up a series whitewash over the French Barbarians.
The South African ‘A’ starting team: Warrick Gelant; Lwazi Mvovo, Lionel Mapoe, Francois Venter, Seabelo Senatla; Fred Zeilinga, Dewaldt Duvenage; Andisa Ntsila, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Chris Cloete, Ruan Botha, Jason Jenkins, Trevor Nyakane, Ramone Samuels, Ox Nche
Reserves:: Franco Marais, Thomas du Toit, Wilco Louw, Uzair Cassiem, Ruan Ackermann, Jano Vermaak, Handré Pollard, Juan de Jongh
Duo to unleash their artillery to slay Barbarians
Cloete was serving a one-match suspension during last Friday’s 36-28 win over the same opponents, and he slots straight into the blindside flank role, while Ntsila starts at eighthman after playing off the bench last week.
Ex-Selbornian Cloete and former Queenian Ntsila, both former Border schools stars, have been a part of a superb Kings loose trio in Super Rugby and their selection to the SA ‘A’ starting side is well deserved.
“I am happy to have been picked for the SA ‘A’ team. I never expect anything, so it’s really nice for me to be given a go against the French Barbarians,” said Cloete.
“It is going to be very special. It has always been a dream of mine to pull on the green and gold jersey and it will now give me something to work harder for.
“It is always nice playing with people you know, so to line up with Andisa is great.
“We have had a good group of guys here involved in the SA ‘A’ team from the Kings, and it is awesome for us to be showcasing our talent at a higher level.”
Two more Kings stars, flyhalf Lionel Cronje and wing Makazole Mapimpi both drop out of the SA ‘A’ matchday squad after putting in impressive performances on last Friday’s match.
Captaining the team will be Francois Venter, who drops back down to the side after playing off the bench for the Springboks last Saturday, and he will partner Lionel Mapoe, who also comes in after starting for the Boks against France. This comes along with wholesale changes to the squad, as just three starters from last week keep their places, with two making positional switches.
SA ‘A’ coach Johan Ackermann said the reason for all the changes is to accommodate all the players in the squad while at the same time assisting Springbok coach Allister Coetzee with a request for game time for certain players.
The three players who started at Moses Mabhida last week, King William’s Town-born Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Lwazi Mvovo and Ruan Botha, will run out again this weekend, with Notshe moving from eighthman to flank and Mvovo moving from fullback to wing, where he will partner Blitzbokke star Seabelo Senatla.
“All the players in the squad have worked incredibly hard over the last two weeks and it’s just fair to give all of them a run,” said Ackermann.
“At the same time, the Springbok cause is very important with the rest of the season in mind – I spoke to Allister and I’m glad we can assist him in giving game-time to certain players who are in his plans.”
Cloete and Ntsila will thus be looking to make the most of their chance and put in a massive performance as the SA ‘A’ side looks to wrap up a series whitewash over the French Barbarians.
The South African ‘A’ starting team: Warrick Gelant; Lwazi Mvovo, Lionel Mapoe, Francois Venter, Seabelo Senatla; Fred Zeilinga, Dewaldt Duvenage; Andisa Ntsila, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Chris Cloete, Ruan Botha, Jason Jenkins, Trevor Nyakane, Ramone Samuels, Ox Nche
Reserves:: Franco Marais, Thomas du Toit, Wilco Louw, Uzair Cassiem, Ruan Ackermann, Jano Vermaak, Handré Pollard, Juan de Jongh
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