Introducing the 2010 VC captains
Eight players were present at the 2010 Varsity Cup launch at UJ last Monday afternoon - some of whom will lead their teams during the tournament and others who were merely standing in.
With the 2010 tournament just eight days away now, varsitycup.co.za introduces the eight Varsity Cup captains for the upcoming season.
Maties - Cameron Peverett (Loose forward):
The former Paul Roos Gymnasium scholar is a well-spoken and gentle man off the field, yet far from that on the field - where he is a powerful presence on attack and defence for the defending champions.
Peverett has big shoes to fill in the absence of former skipper Wesley Wilkins, yet coach Chean Roux might just have unearthed another captaincy gem in the shape of this recently-turned 23-year-old.
Ikey Tigers - Nick Fenton-Wells (No.8) or Stu Commins (Scrumhalf):
Fenton-Wells and Commins have been announced as co-captains of the Ikey Tigers, with head coach John Dobson set to decide between the duo ahead of their opening game against the Shimlas.
Fenton-Wells exploded onto the Varsity Cup scene last year with some energetic performances on the side of the scrum.
He backed up his Varsity Cup performances with a strong WP Super League campaign for UCT and will no doubt be kept on his toes this season - especially with UCT's embarrassment of back row riches.
Commins, like Fenton-Wells educated at Bishops, is a lively scrumhalf with a superb tactical understanding of the game.
A Western Province Under-21 player in 2008 and 2009, Commins (who attended Monday's launch) will be hoping for an injury-free 2010 Varsity Cup campaign - his third since first appearing for the Capetonians in 2008.
NWU-Pukke - Stoffel Duvenage (Hooker):
A powerful presence in the middle of the Pukke pack, Duvenage was handed the captaincy during the week, despite loose forward Dirco 'Kempie' Rautenbach attending Monday's launch with coach Rudy Joubert.
Duvenage is in his third year of Varsity Cup rugby and will be a key man for last season's losing finalists in the absence of experienced forwards; prop Jaco Koch (who has retired because of injury), lock Grant le Roux (who is now playing for Boland) and inspirational former skipper Willem van der Wal (who has moved to Johannesburg for work reasons).
Duvenage, a former Leopards youth player, starred for the SA Universities team against an American touring side last season.
UJ - Clinton de Klerk (Outside centre):
A key man in the UJ midfield, De Klerk has played for the Lions at Under-13, Under-18, Under-20 and U21 level.
The former St. John's College scholar will be playing in his second Varsity Cup campaign, but will be filling the leadership boots of hooker Neil Visagie in 2010.
Shimlas - Wayne Stevens (Inside centre):
Having been part of the Shimlas squad in the 2008 Varsity Cup, Stevens returns to the competition after a year out.
The former Grey College star - who captained the Free State Under-21 team to the Junior Currie Cup title last year - played for the SA Universities team in 2008 and will add crucial leadership and attacking qualities to this unheralded Shimlas squad.
NMMU - Lusu Booi (Scrumhalf):
Booi, a former Blue Bulls Under-20 and Lions Amateur player adds some much-needed experience to the NMMU squad - as one of just a handful survivors from last season's Varsity Cup.
Certainly not the biggest man on the field, the 1,75m and 80kg scrumhalf is a brave player and will be hoping to help his team go one better from their eighth- (2008) and seventh-place (2009) finishes thus far in the VC.
TUT - Emile Venter (Loose forward):
Venter, a former Affies scholar, made the move from Tuks to TUT this year and was promptly appointed to lead last season's Wooden Spoonists in the 2010 Varsity Cup.
The Pretoria-born loose forward has played Under-21 rugby for the Blue Bulls (in 2006 and 2007) and also played Currie Cup rugby for the Valke in 2008.