Free State Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith believes his team’s captain, Francois Venter, can be an asset for the Springboks on their end-of-year tour.
Venter led the Cheetahs to victory over the Blue Bulls in Saturday’s Currie Cup Final and was called up to Springbok coach Allister Coetzee’s squad for their match against the Barbarians and the Tests against England, Italy and Wales.
He is one of four new players – along with Cheetahs wing Sergeal Petersen‚ Blue Bulls flanker Roelof Smit and Sharks flanker Jean-Luc Du Preez – who will stay on with the Bok squad after their match against the Barbarians at Wembley on 5 November.
And Smith, who will also be part of the Bok squad as one of Coetzee’s assistants, believes the 25-year-old’s call-up is a deserved one after his impressive form for the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup and Super Rugby tournaments.
“Francois has been knocking on the door for quite a while‚” Smith told TimesLIVE.
“He’s a solid guy that works really hard at what he does. I moved him from 12 to 13 a couple of years ago and he asked me: ‘Do you really believe I can become a Springbok at 13?’
“I told him: ‘If you believe your junior coach who put you at 12 then it will be difficult but if you are willing to work hard then you can become a Bok.’
“We’ve worked really hard on his decision-making in the No 13 channel and it would be tough to move him back to 12‚ but he does have the ability to play both positions.
“I’m also happy for the rest of the guys in the Bok squad too‚ such as Sergeal and Uzair Cassiem (in the Barbarians squad) because the Free State has been without Boks for a long time.
“It will give the rest of the players here belief and confidence that the path we are on in Bloemfontein is the right one.”
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