Nobody is hyping this guy. Can't blame them because nobody watches the Lions.

He's the guy Roos wants to be. 

22 and bouncing people around, running over teams to score tries and injuring those who try to tackle him.  He scored two again on the weekend. Somebody other the Lions better snap him up real quick because he's gonna get a big offer from abroad very soon.

198cm @ 120Kgs

Wasn’t Ruan Venter invited to the alignment camps?? I am sure he was, but he also got injured.

He is on Rassie,s Radar. Impressive Rugby player.

The guy is a proper machien.

He is a beast - nothing subtle about him. He has a Bok cap

Freakish strength - perfect 7 

He hurts people, a bully 

Seems there’s one tall chap out there who wants to break tackles

Yeah until he plays test rugby and then we won’t see the tall man busting tackles 

If Eben can’t no one can 

Ah so it’s only in test rugby that tall men can’t break tackles.

Umm, Eben is huge and we all love him.

...but this kid is a different kind of animal. 

Instead of comparing them in spheres where only one has taken part, it's better to compare them where they both have, in franchise rugby.

Eben, PSDT and even RG don't run over many people for their franchises. It's not to say they're not powerful. It's just that they're lanky characters and there is no great evidence for them CONSISTENTLY bumping people off.

Venter is totally different animal. He scores tries, lots of them, and he's compact enough that tackling him isn't simply a case of hanging onto a leg as one usually does with locks. You actually have to challenge him...and that's why guys get injured trying to tackle him.

Since RG came around, it's only been Hannekom and this chap that I've instantly felt are at minimum 50 cap Boks.

The Lions are playing the bulls today...I'll report back.

PS And because I know nobody watches the Lions...Frankie Horn is another to keep an eye on. He's probably been the best 8 at franchise level in SA this season. 

Roos really needs to step up else he might actually find himself at 12 ??

That is not true that nobody watches the lions games as they are a exciting team.

I do watch there games.

Francke Horn has been mentioned quite a few times on here already  and he is a very good 8th man.

Let’s hope Tassenberg starts to see the talent better this season than before.

Horn was massive again last week. 

Are you a WP or Sharks man, M?

Born and bred WP but besides the WP I do like the lions and tha Bulls….

Also I miss the cheetahs…

sharks is ok,ish I suppose:)

One of the Best Lions players ever!

He's 100% in my personal Hall Of Fame.

A guy that doesn't care one bit about the shine. He just loves the job.

Just by the way, a massive clash awaits us today….Ruan Venter vs Elrigh Louw 

Yep.

...and Hennekom will be there too.

Venter & Horn versus Louw & Hannas.

The normal B S reigns supreme as per normal.   Mostert is a weak tacjkler and routnely needs support in making tackles ad he si brought intio the picture ehre againm.   I like Venter a lot and want to see him in the team as well.    We alays need dominant forwrds and had it for many ears - but never succeeded before asmus came along.   

Lets take on example so adored by the site memebrs as a loosie and that was Alberts.   He was a reputed bone crusher and that fell flat because he failed ttlly as a loosie in all other respects of loosie play,   

Players like Du Toit practically contribute to winning of matches - while players like A lberts contribute to match losses,   

n any event I  hope Venter makes the grade as a loosie        

Sure Mike.

Great to see talent like this emneging!!!

Mostert is all heart etc. However he is not in the category of top locks. A darn side better though  than that ultra pap lock wee matfiled! A one dimensional lock who did well in the lineouts and not much else. Failed backline player etc. 

Disagree Roos ahead of Venter re Bok 50 caps - I still have Roos slightly ahead of Hanekom - let’s see what happens 

Agreed, the likes of PSDT, Lood, RG and Eben are gangly like giraffes and easier to bring down 

Ruan Venter is slightly shorter and more compact in the Vermeulen, Albert’s, Straueli mould - it’s that compact that makes it harder to stop - the power is centred lower than in the case of Eben etc - it’s directed at the defenders body whereas Eben’s is higher up so easier to target the defence below that power area 

Ruan - 198cm

Roos ahead of Hannekom?

Saffex, so you actually watch entire games. Pakie and I are watching the Lions V Bulls game and Hannekom is constantly making an impact. The guy incapable of not being the best forward on the field.

Roos has a long way to go before he could consider himself Hannas' equal.

Granted I've seen more of Hanekom than Roos, but if Roos is above Hanekom he has to be something extraordinary. Hanekom brings more than just impactful play - he influences the entire team with his presence in a way that, for example, we don't see from Kolisi, who leaves the field at 60 minutes and the Boks actually do better.