Five SA players fans enjoy watching in the URC right now

The United Rugby Championship (URC) start has thrown up some interesting games but, more than that, some eye-catching players have won plaudits for their performances in the first four rounds.

Last year, Stormers eighthman Evan Roos was the star boy to keep a watch on, while various others, such as the Bulls backline duo of Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse announced themselves.

However, this year, the attention has gone to players that you’d not have originally picked to be the standout South African performers this early in season two of the URC.

Henco van Wyk (Lions)

The outside centre is very much inside the centre of attention right now following sparkling performances since the start of this season’s URC, even in defeat to the Bulls at Ellis Park in the opening round.

Who would have thought that after losing Wandisile Simelane to the Bulls that the Lions would unearth another gem in the position so quickly?

The Junior Springbok, though, did have a huge reputation at Under-20 level and as a schoolboy but his transition since making his debut in the senior Lions team at the end of last season has been nothing short of outstanding.

He is abrasive, quick, is a good defender and distributor - all the things you want from your No 13. And has a voracious appetite for the try line, like another former Lions second centre who now coaches their defence (Jaque Fourie).

Henco van Wyk bursting into Monday’s like... ??@Vodacom #URC | @LionsRugbyCo pic.twitter.com/Hag5cmjNvH

Ruan Venter (Lions)

You only need to look at the mini-highlight reel of Venter putting Scottish international Hamish Watson in his place in Edinburgh to know the quality the 19-year-old possesses.

He made 15 tackles in the match, didn’t miss a single one, and was a