Gold Cup players arrive in Scotland
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Loading...Two of South Africa’s best club players arrived in Scotland on Thursday on a six-month international exchange following their excellent performances in the recently completed Gold Cup.
Siyaya Brakpan hooker Ian Oosthuizen and Your Communications College Rovers wing Tythan Adams were last month named Gold Cup forward and back of the tournament respectively and will spend the northern hemisphere season playing for top Scottish club Selkirk.
The exchange is part of an ongoing collaboration between SA Rugby, the British High Commission, UK Sport and RDJ Sports Development, aimed at giving the country’s best amateur players a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience living and playing rugby in another country.
“The Gold Cup is all about providing amateur players with amazing opportunities and this exchange programme does exactly that,” said SA Rugby CEO, Jurie Roux.
“Ian and Tythan were among the standout performers in the Gold Cup and now they get the chance to experience rugby life in Scotland for six months.
“Last year’s club player of the year, Leon du Plessis of Rustenburg Impala, was a standout player for Selkirk and eventually ended up playing a match for the Edinburgh pro franchise against Scotland Under-20, scoring a try in the process. Young player of the year, Dashston Wellman of Wesbank, became a cult hero at Selkirk and has since signed a professional contract in France.
“These types of opportunities would never have been possible were it not for the Gold Cup platform which SA Rugby have created,” Roux added.
Selkirk chairman and legendary Scotland and British & Irish Lions centre John Rutherford said his club were excited at welcoming the pair.
“Over the past few years we’ve had a number of South Africans play for Selkirk as part of the exchange, and without exception, they have been outstanding young men who have contributed both on and off the field,” said Rutherford.
“We would like to thank SA Rugby for what is a wonderful ongoing partnership with us and Scottish rugby in general. The only thing we cannot control is the Scottish weather. But I guess it will be a novelty for the lads to see snow!” Rutherford added.
Oosthuizen and Adams will make their debut for Selkirk on Friday night already when they represent the club in a Border League match against Hawick.
Follow the latest Gold Cup news on Facebook (Gold Cup Rugby) and Twitter (@GoldCupRugby).
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
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