Pienaar: Varsity Cup will continue to produce stars

Cape Town - Former Springbok captain Francois Pienaar is confident that the Varsity Cup will continue to produce the next generation of rugby stars.

Pienaar, who is one of the founding members of the Varsity Cup, was speaking at the launch of the 2019 edition.

He told Netwerk24 that aside from producing 45 Springboks, the Varsity Cup has also been a launchpad for several unsung players to ply their trade as professionals.

"Think about someone like Reniel Hugo who's in Jake White's team (Toyota Verblitz in Japan) that just won the Japan Top League Cup. Then there is Don Armand who plays for Exeter Chiefs in England. The Varsity Cup has provided the foundation for so many players to launch their careers," Pienaar said.

READ: Varsity Cup confirms quota policy for 2019

The 1995 World Cup winner added that the event has also produced its fair share of coaches who have gone on to higher levels.

"Don't forget about the coaches. The coaches in last year's Currie Cup final, John Dobson and Robert du Preez," also came through the tournament," Pienaar said.

Dobson coached the UCT Ikey Tigers, while Du Preez was his mark at NWU-Pukke.

The 2019 Varsity Cup will run from Monday, February 4 until Monday, April 15. It will be the 12th edition since the inaugural one in 2008.

READ: North-south derby to conclude 2019 Varsity Cup

Varsity Cup Springboks:

1 Juan de Jongh

2 Coenie Oosthuizen

3 Eben Etzebeth

4 JJ Engelbrecht

5 Jaco Taute

6 Arno Botha

7 Trevor Nyakane

8 Lourens Adriaanse

9 Lood de Jager

10 Handre Pollard

11 Marcel van der Merwe

12 Oupa Mohoje

13 Marnitz Boshoff

14 Damian de Allende

15 Nizaam Carr

16 Vincent Koch

17 Rudy Paige

18 Ruan Combrinck

19 Franco Mostert

20 Jaco Kriel

21 Bongi Mbonambi

22 Malcolm Marx

23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg

24 Jamba Ulengo

25 Uzair Cassiem

26 Courtnall Skosan

27 Andries Coetzee

28 Raymond Rhule

29 Dillyn Leyds

30 Ruan Dreyer

31 Curwin Bosch

32 Wilco Louw

33 Warrick Gelant

34 Louis Schreuder

35 Ox Nche

36 Jason Jenkins

37 Travis Ismaiel

38 Akker van der Merwe

39 Marvin Orie

40 Robert du Preez

41 Embrose Papier

42 Aphiwe Dyantyi

43 Sibusiso Nkosi

44 Marco van Staden

45 Ivan van Zyl