Venter to coach Kings against SA’s foreign stock

South African players who play their game abroad will play for a Premier XV team that will face the Southern Kings on June 4 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Former Saracens Director of Rugby Brenden Venter will coach the team and he will be assisted by Springbok sevens coach Paul Treu

The match will serve as the Kings final warm-up match before they participate in the 2011 Nations Cup in Romania which starts on June 10 in Bucharest, Romania.

Former Springboks Brent Russell, Pedrie Wannenburg, Gcobani Bobo, Marco Wentzel and Heini Adams have been selected for the Premier XV side.

Kings CEO Stephan Pretorius expressed his delight at the quality of their opponents.

“These players bring a lot of credentials with them and will be a very good test for the Kings prior to their first international assignment in Romania a week later,” Pretorius said.

Match promoter Willem Strauss promised rugby of the highest calibre.

“This is a unique opportunity for these (Premier XV) players to showcase their talents in South Africa again and all are very keen to show their skills,” said Strauss.

Some of the players who have been invited to represent the Premier XV, pending final clearances from their respective clubs, include:

Backs:

Joe Pietersen (Bayonne), Hanno Dirksen (Ospreys), Cecil Afrika (SA 7s), Stefan Basson (Rovigo), Sam Gerber (Bayonne), Gcobani Bobo (Newcastle), Brent Russell (Clermont), Heini Adams (Bordeaux), Paul Delport (SA 7s).

Forwards:

Pedrie Wannenburg (Ulster), Wessel Jooste (Bourgoin), Piet Myburgh (Leicester), Frankie Horne (SA 7s), Kyle Brown (SA 7s), Marco Wentzel (Leeds), Coenie Basson (Bourgoin), Petrus du Plessis (Saracens), Heinke van der Merwe (Leinster), Willie Wepener (Clermont), Brett Sharman (Northampton Saints).