Gold Cup stars shine in Scotland
Two of South Africa’s best club players, Tythan Adams and Ian Oosthuizen, are making a big impact at their adopted Scottish club since arriving in the United Kingdom in November on a six-month international rugby exchange.
Oosthuizen, hooker for Siyaya Brakpan, and Adams, a wing for Your Communications College Rovers, were last October named Gold Cup forward and back of the tournament respectively and are currently lighting up the BT National 1 League playing for the historic Selkirk club.
The exchange is part of an ongoing collaboration between SA Rugby, the British High Commission and Selkirk, 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 club players with amazing opportunities and this exchange programme has shown once again that our best amateurs have a great contribution to make,” said SA Rugby CEO, Jurie Roux.
“Ian and Tythan are not only getting the chance to experience rugby life in Scotland – which included attending Saturday’s Six Nations victory at Murrayfield against Ireland – but they are also showing their class where it counts, on the field.
“These are the types of opportunities that the Gold Cup platform is creating for our ordinary club players, and long may it continue.”
Adams, who scored 10 tries in just five matches in the Gold Cup, has crossed the whitewash a further seven times in just six matches since making his Selkirk debut. The versatile 23-year-old Oosthuizen, meanwhile, has been outstanding in the unfamiliar position of openside flanker.
As part of the exchange, both players are currently training twice a week with the Edinburgh Rugby professional franchise, until they return home in April.
Selkirk chairman and legendary Scotland fly-half John Rutherford said his club were honoured to be involved with the exchange programme.
“We take our role as hosts very seriously and our aim is to ensure that our guests from South Africa have a great experience both on and off the pitch,” said Rutherford, capped 42 times by Scotland between 1979 and 1987 and part of the 1983 Lions Test side that toured New Zealand.
“On the pitch, Ian and Tythan have played well and bonded with the local lads, while they are also very popular with all our supporters. Between now and the end of the season they have been invited to train with Edinburgh and I’m sure this will add to their experience of rugby and life in Scotland.”
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Issued by SA Rugby Communications
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