Lions lose another Bok to Japan
Lions No.8 and Currie Cup captain Ryan Kankowski has been released to join the Red Hurricanes in Japan with immediate effect.
The Lions have released him with the option of contracting him for the 2018 Super Rugby season.
"We are very excited about the depth of junior talent in the franchise and feel it is the right time to expose youngsters to Currie Cup rugby,"Rudolf Straeuli, CEO of the Lions Rugby Company, said.
"Our High Performance Department deserves credit for the way in which the strength of our juniors has grown over the last few seasons through the right contracting and proper coaching."
Kankowski will join fellow Springbok Heinrich Brüssow at the Hurricanes – while fellow Lions like Lionel Mapoe, Hencus van Wyk and Ruan Combrinck are also still in Japan.
Lions coach Swys de Bruin said he will give the junior players in the union the opportunity to showcase their talents and skill during the remainder of the Currie Cup season.
Players like Hacjivah Dayimani, Jo Hanko de Villiers, Rhyno Herbst and Len Massyn will be able to show their potential – a move designed to help them make the step up from junior to senior level in the coming weeks.
The union's junior teams are looking at securing home semifinals in their respective provincial Under-19 and Under-21 tournaments – with teams currently in the top and second position respectively.
