BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
ZIMBABWE-BORN lock Eli Snyman will join the growing list of rugby players who trace their roots in this country plying their trade in the English Premiership when he joins Leicester Tigers at the end of the season from Italian club Treviso.
The 24-year-old former St John’s College pupil will join Leicester Tigers in the European summer ahead of the 2021/22 campaign after a successful stint with Treviso, playing 22 times for the PRO14 side.
Snyman, who represented both Zimbabwe and South Africa in junior rugby, becomes the sixth Zimbabwe-linked player currently playing in England’s topflight rugby union competition.
The others include Dave Ewers and Don Armand, who are at reigning champions Exeter Chiefs, Worcester Warriors’ Marco Mama, Mike Williams at Bath and London Irish’s Lovejoy Chawatama.
Armand was born in Zimbabwe, but has already been capped by England at senior international level, while the others could still play for the Sables in the future if they decide to trace their African roots.
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However, Snyman, who started all five matches for the Junior Boks at the 2016 World Rugby Under-20 Championship in England, appears to have set his sights on playing for the Springboks.
Born in Harare, Snyman attended St John’s College in Harare and represented the country at age-grade levels before earning a scholarship at the University of Pretoria — the alma mater of former Springbok captains Victor Matfield and Joost van der Westhuizen as well as former Leicester Tigers director of rugby Heyneke Meyer, where he represented the UP Tuks in the Varsity Cup.
The second-rower joined the Blue Bulls youth programme in 2015 and made his senior debut for the Pretoria-based side in South Africa’s Currie Cup competition in 2016.
A Super Rugby debut for the Bulls followed during the 2019 competition, before moving to Treviso ahead of the 2019/20 PRO14 season where he played 22 times for the PRO14 side.
Discussing his move to Tigers, Snyman told Leicester Tigers’ official website that he was “excited” about linking up with his Leicester team-mates under Steve Borthwick’s leadership.
“Speaking with Steve, I am really excited about his vision for the club and I have been following the games so far this season and it has been great to see the team doing well, it’s exciting to know I will be a part of it,” said Snyman.
“When Steve speaks, you know he is a good leader and you want to follow him.”
Asked about what he would bring to the Tigers squad, Snyman added: “I am all about the guys around me and a hard working player, who shuts up and gets on with the job.”
“I take a lot of pride in the set piece and am looking forward to playing my role in the Tigers team.
“I am expecting a physical game in the Premiership and looking forward to it.”
Speaking about the addition of Snyman to the Leicester squad, head coach Steve Borthwick said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Eli to Leicester next season.
“He is a big, powerful and tough forward, with experience in both southern and northern hemisphere rugby, who will be a valuable addition to our pack at Tigers.
“At just 24, we are confident Eli’s best rugby is still ahead of him and excited about the improvement ahead of him, as well as what he will bring to our club on and off the pitch.”
- Follow Daniel on Twitter @danielnhakaniso