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Junior Springboks name 31-man group for inaugural U20 Rugby Championship
South Africa Rugby have named an exciting 31-man touring group as the Junior Springboks chase a slice of history at the first-ever Under-20s Rugby Championship next month.
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The Junior Springboks will come up against the best young rugby talent from New Zealand, Australia and Argentina over three fixtures on Australia’s Sunshine Coast from May 2 to 12.
This is the inaugural instalment of the SANZAAR-run competition which will see each team play three round-robin fixtures before a champion is crowned on the Sunday.
Five players from last year’s South Africa squad who finished third at the World Rugby U20 Championship on home soil have been included in an otherwise fresh group.
Prop Zachary Porthen, lock JF van Heerden, scrum-half Asad Moos, and the midfield pair of Jurenzo Julius and Litelihle Bester are all back for the Junior Springboks to play Down Under.
The squad follows a concentrated preparation period from the South Africa Rugby Academy training group at the well-known Stellenbosch Academy of Sports.
Head coach Bafana Nhleko said the Junior Springboks are looking forward to the opportunity to test themselves against some of the world’s best before the World Rugby U20 Championship.
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“The three matches will be a good test of our group’s character and skill set, as part of a performance process in preparation for the World Rugby U20 Championship,” coach Bafana Nhleko said in a statement.
“The players have responded well to the detail and demands during the camps. It is now about executing and learning in a test match pressure environment.
“The tour will be a great opportunity for the players to gain experience and enjoy a different environment and culture while we continue to grow as a group, and we are looking forward to the opportunity to play in this tournament from a performance and preparation perspective,” he added.
“I also see it as part of reviving our Elite Player Development pathway programme, because some of the players in the group have been part of the identification and development process, while those selected who were not part of the EPD have also shown that the pathway process is extensive and there are always opportunities.
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“A few players will be disappointed to have missed out on the opportunity to tour, while there are also a few players who could not be considered for selection because of injury.
“However, the door is still open for all of them, and we will continue working with the unions to monitor other players because we still have a presentation block to complete when we return from Australia before we wrap up our final preparations for the World Rugby U20 Championship.”
The Junior Springboks will leave for Australia on Wednesday, April 24, and return home on Tuesday, May 14.
All matches will be played at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
Thursday, 2 May
Junior Springboks vs New Zealand, Australia vs Argentina
Tuesday, 7 May
New Zealand vs Argentina, Junior Springboks vs Australia
Sunday, 12 May
Junior Springboks vs Argentina, Australia vs New Zealand
Junior Springbok squad for the U20 Rugby Championship
Forwards
Props: Casper Badenhorst (Vodacom Bulls), Liyema Ntshanga (Toyota Cheetahs), Mbasa Maqubela (Vodacom Bulls), Reno Hirst (Fidelity ADT Lions), Ruan Swart (Vodacom Bulls), Zachary Porthen (DHL Western Province)
Hookers: CJ Erasmus (DHL Western Province), Ethan Bester (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Juan Smal (Vodacom Bulls)
Locks: Adam de Waal (DHL Western Province), JF van Heerden (Vodacom Bulls), Thomas Dyer (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Loose forwards: Bathobele Hlekani (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Divan Fuller (DHL Western Province), Keanu Coetsee (Vodacom Bulls), Subabalwe Mahashe (Fidelity ADT Lions), Thabang Mphafi (Fidelity ADT Lions), Tiaan Jacobs (Biarritz, France)
Backs
Scumhalves: Asad Moos (DHL Western Province), Ezekiel Ngubane (DHL Western Province), Hassiem Pead (Fidelity ADT Lions)
Flyhalves: Thurlon Williams (Fidelity ADT Lions), Tylor Sefoor (Toyota Cheetahs)
Centres: Bruce Sherwood (DHL Western Province), Joshua Boulle (DHL Western Province), Jurenzo Julius (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Litelihle Bester (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Philip-Albert van Niekerk (Vodacom Bulls)
Outside backs: JC Mars (DHL Western Province), Joel Leotlela (DHL Western Province / SA Sevens contracted), Michail Damon (Vodacom Bulls)
Comments on RugbyPass
I get that Ben's role is to attract SA readers with controversial clickbait, but what about respecting the rivalry of over 100 years? The Boks won, we lost. The Boks have now won 4 world cups since their inclusion back into international rugby, and in that time the rest of the world combined have only won 4! It's an incredible achievement. Show respect, and then hope we win 2-0 in SA later this year. But don't be a whiner; it means you don't understand the rivalry at its essence. Winner takes all when NZ plays SA. Sport in it's purest form. Long may it continue.
16 Go to commentsU Nz never ever use to be such a bunch off whining girls,now this so sad that u got this aasss writing some crap
16 Go to commentsBeautifully written.
5 Go to commentsYou can be a dominating team and still lose. The Boks know that if the ABs are a man down, they play as if they have another two players on the field. The ABs did attack, they did apply pressure, they built more plays but they did not add more points to the board. The ABs are still the most dominant team in sports today as the ABs will go for a win in every game they play. Rassie and Jacques have used the time between World Cups to build squad depth. They were also the last tier 1 nation to start playing rugby after COVID restrictions were eased and still won the series against The B&I Lions. Ben may write to persuade the reader that the Boks are not worthy of the trophy or worthy to be the best in the world but Ben, since you enjoy stats so much, you forgot the most important statistic….the score! That's the one that matters most.
16 Go to commentsNot a fan of Penney to be fair as I don’t see him able to perform at SR level. However he has stepped into a bit of a mess with so many long service players leaving. No matter how good a coach us he can’t wave a magic wind and turn young pups into Crusaders in 5 mins. Wheaven to accept this is a complete rebuild of players and culture. Have some patience just as the other teams have had in years gone by
29 Go to commentsWhat is Ben’s point exactly? Cause if it’s that the ABs should’ve won that game, then yes I think every AB fan would agree with that. But the DIDN'T. You need luck to go your way and it went the Springboks way, just as it went the ABs way in 2011. Given that this article is written 6 months after the final shows that Ben is still incredibly butthurt. Time to move on Mr Smith. Maybe join something that suits your bias… i’m thinking the Australian commentary panel?
16 Go to commentsSA players and fans calling the irish arrogant, ooh the irony!!
78 Go to commentsPersonally i’d have BB off the bench and DMac as 10. BB seems to have more ‘average’ games and less ability to mix it up on the fly than DMac,
7 Go to commentsBen’s Myth History is written by the guy who does the engraving on the trophy. Took Ben six months to write this piece.
16 Go to commentsThis article should have been written immediately after the final, not half a year later. While the content of the article is accurate with the references to the cruel bounce to Savea right before the try line, Etzebeth’s cynical infringement, and the inconsistent cards, some of the hyperbole emotional statements are unnecessary and gaslighting. The fact remains that the Springboks took their scoring opportunities. They had amazing defence throughout the entire match (limiting the ABs to one try is very respectable), their scrum was pretty good and they had quite a solid lineout despite having a part-time hooker throwing the ball in. Let’s give credit where credit is due and move forward. The Springboks won because they know how to win big games through strong defence and kicking, and they had lady luck on their side on the day. The All Blacks miraculously made the final despite everyone’s predictions and could’ve won the whole damn thing with 14 men who should’ve taken better advantage of their scoring chances and committed less mistakes (shoddy lineouts, dropped balls, some poor kicks and passing, etc), and an average coach and captain with some questionable tactics (Jordie kicking for goal late in the game from a dodgy position and perhaps the wrong game plan overall). Time to move on.
16 Go to commentsThere’s no doubt the All Blacks were the better team on the day, but it’s not enough to be better, you also have to have luck.
16 Go to commentsI dunno, Ben. It does feel a little like you are just in denial that the Springboks are really good. Good enough to win two straight world cups.
16 Go to commentsAre we still talking about the World Cup final in May? The final took place more than 6 months ago. Isn’t it time to move on?
16 Go to commentsIt looks like the trauma counseling is not helping the Ben Smith troll much. He is still trying to convince his little brain that his loser team won the RWC.
16 Go to commentsOh dear, Jon. Ben Smith’s Saffer clickbait was at least backed up by some rationale!
16 Go to commentsThe more direct approach to your past time this time I see Ben. Look, it doesn’t need to be said, anyone watching the match knows the ABs played better and just got robbed by the officiating, but lets face it, their dominance in the match was only because South Africa choked and forgot how to play rugby with the ball. South Africa were still the better side. Of course Ireland and France were also better sides that New Zealand. Possibly even England on WC performances.
16 Go to commentsGreat mythology - no surprises Ox didn't talk about being driven backwards by Laulala in the RWC final!
5 Go to commentsJust shows how a hand up can help as long as the invitation is accepted. Good story.
1 Go to commentsKarma is a powerful force
22 Go to commentsFrench players said the same thing to the All Blacks after their pool match in 2011. But the French can back up their s**t talk with action.
78 Go to comments