Stormers coach John Dobson has called up teen hooker Andre-Hugo Venter, son of legendary Springbok Andre, for tonight’s Rainbow Cup SA clash with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld at 7pm.
The 19-year-old, who played for Stellenbosch in the Varsity Cup and famously scored four tries in his first start against UWC in April, will play off the bench in place of Scarra Ntubeni, who is being rested, in the top-of-the-table clash.
Son of former Bok hardman Andre, who scored nine tries in 66 Tests for the national team between 1996 and 2001, Dobson says Andre-Hugo is as tough as his dad.
The coach says of Venter’s inclusion: “We’re very excited about Andre-Hugo Venter. We think he’s a really big star of the future. “He’ll play for us over the next two weeks, with Bongi [Mbonambi] getting a rest next week.”
Here is your DHL Stormers team that will face the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in a PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA North-South clash on Friday night.#iamastormer #dhldelivers #PRO14RainbowCupSA pic.twitter.com/qrEBSEpUJE
Asked to elaborate on what the youngster brings to the team, Dobson adds: “You can’t really see his dad playing hooker, [but] it’s a hooker version of his dad. So tough, high speed, high aggression, intense work rate, very competitive.
“He’s got to still learn, he’s 19 years old – the nuances of scrumming, the sort of dark art that takes a couple of years.
“But you’ll see his intensity in general play, he covers ground quickly, he’s really competitive, really aggressive.
“He’s young for a hooker, but the sooner we start the journey, the better. He gets the privilege of playing with Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe and Ali Vermaak and it will only enhance his career.
“I think we’ll be delighted with him. He’s very tough, like his dad.”
In other team news, lock JD Schickerling misses out because of an ankle injury.
Expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks, the injury could also derail any chances he possibly had of playing for the Springboks against the British and Irish Lions.
Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Rosko Specman, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 David Meihuizen, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements (from): 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Dan du Plessis, 23 Sergeal Petersen, 24 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 25 Juarno Augustus.
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za