Cheetahs coach enthused by ‘Kolbe-mould’ youngster

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Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie says CUT fullback Cohen Jasper has shown his class during this year’s Varsity Cup season.

The 20-year-old has scored five tries for the Ixias, who have won five of their six fixtures, including against Maties, which gave CUT a historic first-ever win over the title holders.

Jasper signed a contract with the Cheetahs last year, in conjunction with FNB CUT, and then played for the Free State U20 team in the SA Rugby U20 Championship before joining the Ixias squad for their FNB Varsity Cup campaign.

He will start training with the Cheetahs senior side from 1 June and is set to make his debut in the double-round Currie Cup Premier Division later this year.

‘Cohen has played really well for CUT,’ Fourie told VarsityCup.co.za. ‘He’s showed his class. He’s an excellent attacking fullback, runs very good support lines whenever there’s a linebreak and is a superb finisher.

‘Cohen is in the Cheslin Kolbe mould,’ Fourie adds. ‘He’s not a big guy [at 77kg and 1.74m] but he has a lot of skill and the ability to score tries. He has that X factor.

‘Once he starts training with us, we will decide where and when to give him playing opportunities, but fullback is his primary position. So he will be competing with the likes of Clayton Blommetjies and Malcolm Jaer.’


Photo: Varsity Sport

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