SA Under-20 coach Chean Roux has selected seven players that represented the team in 2016 in his squad for Wednesday’s World Rugby U20 Championship opening match against France in Tbilisi.
It’s a repeat of last year’s group phase clash against France‚ which SA won 40-31.
Six of the players - flyhalf Curwin Bosch‚ flanks Ernst van Rhyn and Zain Davids‚ fullback Manie Libbok‚ centre Stedman Gans and prop Carlű Sadie were all named in the starting line-up.
Prop Kwenzo Blose is on the bench.
Bosch played fullback in the corresponding fixture against France last year‚ scoring 20 points in the match.
After last year’s disappointing showing in Manchester‚ where the Junior Boks lost three of their five matches on their way to fourth place‚ the pressure is on to be competitive again.
The South Africans haven't won the title since 2012.
With Georgia looming on Sunday‚ winning against France is essential to avoid going into a clash against the hosts needing a victory to advance to the semi-finals.
Rugby has gained massive traction in Georgia and their under-20 team has been well groomed for this tournament.
Bosch will link up with scrumhalf Rewan Kruger in the halfback pairing‚ while Van Rhyn and Davids will join forces with Juarno Augustus in the loose trio.
The lock combination of 2016 SA Schools captain Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden‚ and the front row of Sadie‚ fellow prop Gerhard Steenekamp and hooker Johan Grobbelaar will complete the pack.
In the backline‚ Gans and David Brits will occupy the midfield‚ with Yaw Penxe and Wandisile Simelane at wing.
“The experience the players will bring from last year will certainly be beneficial against France‚” said Roux.
“They know what it is like to play for their country in front of a crowd and to sing the national anthem‚ and hopefully that experience will filter down to the other players making their debuts.
“We had a good idea about the team we wanted to select for this match since our holding camp in Cape Town‚ so it wasn’t that tough to select the starting side. But that said we have 28 very good players in the squad and any of them can play at any time.”
The coach expected a tough challenge against France‚ who finished in second position in the U20 Six Nations earlier this year‚ but he was confident in his team’s abilities.
“France are a physical side and they do not like to kick the ball much‚ so they will want to bring that French flair into their game. That means our defence has to be up to scratch and we need to put a lot of pressure on them‚” said Roux.
The match against France will kick off at 13h30 SA time and we will broadcast live on SuperSport 1 (channel 201). The SA U20s will meet hosts‚ Georgia‚ in their second pool match on Sunday‚ and will round off the pool stages against Argentina on Wednesday‚ 8 June.
Junior Springbok team to face France in the World Rugby U20 Championship:
15 – Manie Libbok (Blue Bulls)
14 – Yaw Penxe (EP Kings)
13 – Stedman Gans (Blue Bulls)
12 – David Brits (WP)
11 – Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions)
10 – Curwin Bosch (Sharks)
9 – Rewan Kruger (Free State)
8 – Juarno Augustus (WP)
7 – Ernst van Rhyn (WP)
6 – Zain Davids (WP)
5 – Ruben van Heerden (Blue Bulls)
4 – Salmaan Moerat (WP)
3 – Carlű Sadie (WP)
2 – Johan Grobbelaar (Blue Bulls)
1 – Gerhard Steenekamp (Blue Bulls)
Replacements:
16 – Kwenzo Blose (Free State)
17 – Daniel Jooste (WP)
18 – Lee-Marvin Mazibuko (WP)
19 – Hendre Stassen (Blue Bulls)
20 – Nama Xaba (WP)
21 – Francois de Villiers (Sharks)
22 – Damian Willemse (WP)
23 – Gianni Lombard (Golden Lions) - TMG Digital/TMG Sport
'Experienced' SA under 20 for world championship openers
SA Under-20 coach Chean Roux has selected seven players that represented the team in 2016 in his squad for Wednesday’s World Rugby U20 Championship opening match against France in Tbilisi.
It’s a repeat of last year’s group phase clash against France‚ which SA won 40-31.
Six of the players - flyhalf Curwin Bosch‚ flanks Ernst van Rhyn and Zain Davids‚ fullback Manie Libbok‚ centre Stedman Gans and prop Carlű Sadie were all named in the starting line-up.
Prop Kwenzo Blose is on the bench.
Bosch played fullback in the corresponding fixture against France last year‚ scoring 20 points in the match.
After last year’s disappointing showing in Manchester‚ where the Junior Boks lost three of their five matches on their way to fourth place‚ the pressure is on to be competitive again.
The South Africans haven't won the title since 2012.
With Georgia looming on Sunday‚ winning against France is essential to avoid going into a clash against the hosts needing a victory to advance to the semi-finals.
Rugby has gained massive traction in Georgia and their under-20 team has been well groomed for this tournament.
Bosch will link up with scrumhalf Rewan Kruger in the halfback pairing‚ while Van Rhyn and Davids will join forces with Juarno Augustus in the loose trio.
The lock combination of 2016 SA Schools captain Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden‚ and the front row of Sadie‚ fellow prop Gerhard Steenekamp and hooker Johan Grobbelaar will complete the pack.
In the backline‚ Gans and David Brits will occupy the midfield‚ with Yaw Penxe and Wandisile Simelane at wing.
“The experience the players will bring from last year will certainly be beneficial against France‚” said Roux.
“They know what it is like to play for their country in front of a crowd and to sing the national anthem‚ and hopefully that experience will filter down to the other players making their debuts.
“We had a good idea about the team we wanted to select for this match since our holding camp in Cape Town‚ so it wasn’t that tough to select the starting side. But that said we have 28 very good players in the squad and any of them can play at any time.”
The coach expected a tough challenge against France‚ who finished in second position in the U20 Six Nations earlier this year‚ but he was confident in his team’s abilities.
“France are a physical side and they do not like to kick the ball much‚ so they will want to bring that French flair into their game. That means our defence has to be up to scratch and we need to put a lot of pressure on them‚” said Roux.
The match against France will kick off at 13h30 SA time and we will broadcast live on SuperSport 1 (channel 201). The SA U20s will meet hosts‚ Georgia‚ in their second pool match on Sunday‚ and will round off the pool stages against Argentina on Wednesday‚ 8 June.
Junior Springbok team to face France in the World Rugby U20 Championship:
15 – Manie Libbok (Blue Bulls)
14 – Yaw Penxe (EP Kings)
13 – Stedman Gans (Blue Bulls)
12 – David Brits (WP)
11 – Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions)
10 – Curwin Bosch (Sharks)
9 – Rewan Kruger (Free State)
8 – Juarno Augustus (WP)
7 – Ernst van Rhyn (WP)
6 – Zain Davids (WP)
5 – Ruben van Heerden (Blue Bulls)
4 – Salmaan Moerat (WP)
3 – Carlű Sadie (WP)
2 – Johan Grobbelaar (Blue Bulls)
1 – Gerhard Steenekamp (Blue Bulls)
Replacements:
16 – Kwenzo Blose (Free State)
17 – Daniel Jooste (WP)
18 – Lee-Marvin Mazibuko (WP)
19 – Hendre Stassen (Blue Bulls)
20 – Nama Xaba (WP)
21 – Francois de Villiers (Sharks)
22 – Damian Willemse (WP)
23 – Gianni Lombard (Golden Lions) - TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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