Keep an eye on this lot in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge

The SuperSport Rugby Challenge has a happy knack of producing players nobody has ever heard of and turning them into household names. The Hacjivah Dayimanis, Craig Barrys, Aphelele Fassis of this world all cut their teeth in this competition. Here are six players to look out for this year.

Chris Smit (Inside Centre, Tafel Lager Griquas, 23)

This year’s Varsity Cup Player That Rocks – after four years playing for Stellenbosch and being instrumental in winning two Varsity Cup titles with Maties – is possibly the most talked about young player in the country despite not playing Super Rugby. Nicknamed “Chris Wit” at Maties for his white blond hair, Smit impressed with his organisational skills, distribution, aggressive defence, ability to create play, sniffing out running and kicking space and being able to exploit it with an educated boot – especially when it comes to the kick-pass.

Darrien-Lane Landsberg (Utility forward, Xerox Golden Lions, 21)

It wasn’t so long ago that nobody in rugby could name a player from Northcliff High, suddenly there are two. Landsberg is the second of those, following in fellow Lion Vincent Tshituka’s footsteps by playing in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge. The current Lions Under-21 Forward of the Year is said to be athletic and skilful but also tough, and is second only to Super Rugby lock Marvin Orie when it comes to calling lineouts. As a result the youngster fancies himself as a lock, but his future may well be at blindside flank or even No 8.

Domenic Smit (Fullback, Downtouch Griffons, 23)

New Griffons coach is convinced Smit, a former under-20 charge of his at the same union, will surprise a lot of people this year. Juries said Smit’s calling card is tactical kicking and excellence on the counter attack, his other party trick being able to play in every position in the backline “including scrumhalf”. If anyone wants to liken him to a player that’s already in the rugby public’s eye, Blitzboks player Selvyn Davids and SWD Eagles fullback Leighton Eksteen are two such silky customers.

Innocent Radebe (Flyhalf, Cell C Sharks XV, 24)

This time last year, the flyhalf’s career at first class level was all but dead, after a knee injury had scuppered his chances of joining the Lions from the Sharks. Radebe then made his return to rugby at Wanderers Rugby Club, before turning up at College Rovers in Durban this year playing in the Gold Cup. The stint at Rovers has earned him a seat on the Cell C Sharks XV bench for the game against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs XV this weekend. As a former teenage sensation, one hopes this second chance works.

DJ Falconer (Outside centre, Cell C Sharks XV, 20)

Having played first team rugby at Rondebosch, Falconer managed to slip under the net of representative rugby at Western Province but turned up at the Sharks Academy, where he was spotted by Sharks XV coach Sean Everitt. At the time he was a touch on the “podgy” side, weighing in at 108kg. Now weighing a svelte 93kg, Falconer has played in every SRC friendly for this year’s tournament, and Everitt can’t stop singing the praises of his good defence, distribution and feet.

Muller Uys (No 8, Vodacom Blue Bulls XV, 20)

Uys, the former Paarl Gym student and last year’s no 8 for the Baby Boks, is listed as being 1.91m tall and 115kg, which makes for not only a man child but for like-for-like replacement for current Bulls Super Rugby eighthman Duane Vermeulen. While he may look a little like a prop, he’s got the skills of a No 8 and his strongest suit is in the carry. A former coach of his at SA Schools level described him as a “Meneer”.