Six Springbok hopefuls who need to blow the lights out in URC knockouts

The United Rugby Championship (URC) knockouts are set and ready to go, with the quarterfinals to be battled out over the next three days, with South African hopes resting with the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers.

All three teams will be eager to progress as far as possible, while several players will be aiming to show their worth, first to try help their side get through to the semi-finals and final and then lift the title, and second to prove that they belong at the highest level, playing on the international stage for the Springboks.

With a match against invitational team, the Barbarians, at the end of June, and the Incoming Series against Italy and Georgia in July, a number of fringe players and youngsters could get a chance to break into the Bok fold and make a claim to become a regular member of the team.

Here are six players, two from each franchise, that will be aiming to blow the lights out during the URC playoffs over the next few weeks.

Bulls

Cameron Hanekom

It has been a second straight scintillating season for the Bulls loose forward, and he must certainly have his hat firmly in the ring to get a run for the Boks this season, to add to the one cap picked up on last year’s end of year tour.

Eighthman has had a slight question mark on it since the retirement of Duane Vermeulen after the last World Cup, with Jasper Wiese the current incumbent, while Siya Kolisi has shown for the Sharks this season that he can also assist there when needed, so Hanekom will want to prove there is no need for anyone else.

Johan Grobbelaar

Hooker has been a problem position for the Boks over the past few years, with them struggling to find a regular third choice option behind Malcom Marx and Bongi Mbonambi. With Mbonambi getting on in years — he is currently 34 — it is vitally important that the Boks find another option for the No 2 jersey.

Grobbelaar has been on the Bok fringes and played a few games, but has been unable to take his chance as of yet, and he will be desperate to impress, especially with his teammate, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who can cover both prop and hooker, showing some top recent form which will give him a leg up.

Sharks

Vincent Tshituka

There have been rumblings about Tshituka representing the Springboks ever since his time at the Lions, but the Congo-born, Johannesburg-bred loose forward has been caught up in a nightmare of bureaucratic red tape around his citizenship for the past few years.

Finally at the end of last year both Vincent and his brother Manu (Emmanuel) were given their SA citizenship and passports, but they were still unable to represent the Boks without an SA ID, which they received last month.

Vincent was immediately brought into the Boks’ recent alignment camp and he will now want to back that up in the playoffs and force his way into the playing squad.

Ethan Hooker

The rising young utility back talent has backed up a breakout previous season with another solid campaign, and he will be eyeing a Springbok debut over the coming international season. The 22-year-old Hooker impressed so much in his debut senior campaign last season that he was brought into the Bok fold.

He attended alignment camps and was in the extended squad ahead of the opening Test against Wales last year, but didn’t make his debut. He will thus be aiming to put in some monster performances in the URC playoffs, and force his way into the reckoning to make the next step up.

Stormers

Evan Roos

A lot of noise was made after the Stormers eighthman was left out of the second Bok alignment camp, despite having enjoyed another top season for his franchise. Despite his fantastic form for the Stormers, he has yet to fully take the few Bok opportunities he has received over the past few years and impress.

His terrific franchise form should, however, see him get another crack in the green and gold this season, but a strong showing in the playoffs could just make that a certainty. With huge competition emerging for the Bok No 8 jersey, it is imperative for Roos to make a statement, and back that up if he gets another shot for the national side.

Suleiman Hartzenberg

Like Hooker, Hartzenberg is another young exciting rising utility back talent that looks ready to make the step up. The 22-year-old’s trajectory is eerily similar to the Sharks talent, with them both playing together for the Junior Boks.

But Hartzenberg has made an earlier and bigger mark at franchise level, recently making his 50^th appearance for the Stormers. He has also been a part of the Bok alignment camps, but hasn’t made it into the squad yet, and he will want to back up his brilliant recent form, since returning from injury, in the playoffs and make sure he is considered come the start of the international season.