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07 February 2018 Photo ICC
Raynard named captain of the Team of the Tournament at U-19 World Cup
Raynard van Tonder, right, is congratulated by fellow player Hermann Rolfes after scoring his second century against Bangladesh at the U-19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.

Raynard van Tonder was rewarded for an outstanding U-19 World Cup in New Zealand when he was named as the captain of the Team of the Tournament, announced by the International Cricket Council on Sunday.

The Kovsie cricketer, who captained the South African team to fifth place, ended with the third-most runs in the tournament; 348 in six matches at an impressive average of 69.6. He scored two centuries (one of three players to achieve this) and one 50. It included a knock of 143 against Kenya, which was the fifth-highest in the tournament. With that, the 19-year-old also recorded the third-highest score ever by a South African in an U-19 One Day International.

Van Tonder is studying a BSocSci at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Congratulations from CSA

“It is heartening to know
that we continue to produce
quality players and leaders.”
—Thabang Moroe
Acting Chief Executive
of Cricket South Africa

“Raynard deserves a special commendation for being chosen as the best leader at the tournament. This follows on our 2014 captain, Aiden Markram (currently leading the Proteas in the one-day series against India), who was chosen as Player of the Tournament back then.

“It is heartening to know that we continue to produce quality players and leaders through our talent pipeline system,” commented acting chief executive of Cricket South Africa (CSA), Thabang Moroe.

The Team of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup was selected by a panel that comprised former Windies fast bowler Ian Bishop, former India women’s captain Anjum Chopra, former New Zealand captain Jeff Crowe, journalist Shashank Kishore and former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody.

News Archive

Springboks choose Kovsies' sports facilities
2010-09-02

The Springbok team boasts five former Kovsies. From the left, front, are: Flip van der Merwe, Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, and Gurthro Steenkamp. At the back, from the left, are: Jannie du Plessis, C.J. van der Linde and Juan Smith.
Photo: Gerhard Louw

Over the years the University of the Free State (UFS) has already produced 67 Springbok and 22 Springbok Sevens players. Therefore it comes as no surprise that the Springboks have chosen the UFS’s sports facilities in preparation for their match against Australia this coming Saturday. They will tackle Australia at the Free State Vodacom Park at 17:00. Five former Kovsies are included in this team. They are Flip van der Merwe, Gurthro Steenkamp, Jannie du Plessis, C.J. van der Linde and Juan Smith.

Kovsies have been providing quality rugby for many decades already. During the 2009 rugby season the UFS rugby club produced 12 players for national teams and 73 players for provincial teams (all age groups). This does not include all the former Kovsies. According to Mr Rockey le Roux from KovsieSport at the UFS, there is currently not one South African Super 14 team that does not include a Kovsie or former Kovsie.

The UFS is also equipped to produce top rugby players. Shimla Park is the main field of Shimla rugby, where all the Shimla games are played. Some of the Varsity Cup games are also played on this field. Boom Prinsloo, the Shimla player named as the 2010 player of the Varsity Cup tournament, is included in the current Springbok Sevens practice team. Shimla Park boasts 1 000-lux lights, which let this field comply with international standards.

There are four more rugby fields that are used for residence rugby. Currently 26 rugby teams of the university's residences and three provincial teams practise on the fields.

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