Mzansi beware, the Kenyans are coming
JOBURG -– The next major announcement would see the unveiling of the Champion Team, coaching, and management line-up.
Sevens fans’ favourites Kenya will show off their burgeoning ambition in the 15-a-side game of rugby when they clash with a selected side from the recently completed Carling Currie Cup season.
This follows their confirmation as the inaugural opponents in next month’s Champions Match in which they will face the best of South African domestic rugby at Loftus Versveld on November 6.
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 recognising and rewarding the champion voices of rugby fans who will play ‘selectors’ for the match.
“The Kenya Rugby Union is greatly honoured by the invitation from its counterpart Saru [South African Rugby Union] to participate in the Carling Champions Cup in Pretoria,” said Oduor Gangla, chairperson of the Kenya union.
“This will be an excellent opportunity for the Simbas [Kenya] 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.”
Arné Rust, Carling Black Label brand director was upbeat about the votes streaming in from fans to name the SA team, with more than 400 000 being received to date.
“The excitement for the brand 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,” Rust said.
“We are thrilled the Kenyans have accepted our 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.
Fans are advised that the next major announcement would see the unveiling of the Champion Team coaching and management line-up.
