A round up of what some of South Africa’s leading Sunday papers are saying, including an update on the Springbok pack for 2020.
In an interview with Leighton Koopman in Rapport, Springbok forwards coach Matt Proudfoot has spoken about what the Bok forward pack could look like next year. In a positive update, Proudfoot is happy with the depth coming through from the U20s. He also confirmed that all four of the locks involved in the 2019 World Cup – Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert and RG Snyman – will still be available in 2020. Proudfoot added that in the search for a successor to No 8 Duane Vermeulen, the Springboks are keeping an eye on Dan du Preez, who has been in excellent form for the Sale Sharks this season, as well as Sikhumbuzo Notshe.
Staying in Rapport, the newspaper has brought more concerning news to light as the U18 Craven Week may not take place next year after Coca Cola withdrew as a sponsor in 2018. According to the report written by Hendrik Cronje, while this year’s Youth Weeks took place without a sponsor, SA Rugby has not made the provision for the tournaments in its preliminary budget, meaning that if a new sponsor is not found, the weeks could be closed. ‘It is not our wish, but it is the difficult financial reality in the current economy,’ a SA Rugby spokesperson told the newspaper. ‘We are talking to a few companies and are confident of affirming a partner for the Youth Weeks.’
