Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has included three new players in a training squad for the SA U20s’ final preparation camp which starts in Stellenbosch on Monday in the build-up towards the World Rugby Under-20 Championship next month in Italy.
Foote has welcomed back a number of familiar faces who are back from injury and Vodacom United Rugby Championship duty in addition to three newcomers in Rambo Kubheka (loosehead prop), Shaun Schürman (hooker) and Ian van der Merwe (flyhalf).
Returning to the squad are locks Jaco Grobbelaar and Arno van der Merwe, No 8 Stephanus Linde, and outside backs Jaco Williams and Alzeadon Felix.
“Rambo, who played for the SA U18s last year, has been doing very well for Hollywoodbets Sharks in the SA Rugby U21 Cup, while Shaun and Ian, a very good game driver and left-footed kicker, have also been in good form for the Vodacom Bulls U21s,” said Foote.
“Jaco Grobbelaar, who played for the Junior Boks last year, is back from his Vodacom URC duty with the Vodacom Bulls and will join us in week two, and Stephanus, who toured with us to Georgia earlier this year, returns after he picked up a knee injury in the FNB Varsity Cup.
“It’s also good to welcome back from injury Jaco Williams, who has been training with the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ Vodacom URC team, Alzeadon Felix, who had a good Varsity Cup campaign, and Arno van der Merwe.”
Foote also revealed that HB Odendaal (hooker), Neil Hansen (lock), Divan Fuller (flanker), and Matt Romao (flanker) have been ruled out due to injury, while JC Mars (fullback) will join the squad as soon as he has shrugged off a hamstring niggle.
The Junior Boks will train for the next three weeks before the 30-man squad fly out to Italy on 24 June for the annual World Rugby U20 Championship. Two training sessions against a visiting senior Kenyan side form part of the schedule as the squad step up their readiness for Italy.
According to Foote, the meetings with Kenya will be match simulation exercises, with the first set for 9 June and the second one five days later on 14 June, both in Stellenbosch.
“We’re a very settled team now, with some guys coming back from injury and unfortunately some players being injured whilst on duty for their provinces in the SA Rugby U21 Cup,” said Foote.
“We’ve kept the core of the squad together for a long time now; they’re a great team off the field and have a good connection, which we think is very important for us going into the World Championship, also understanding how we want to play and our game model.
“There has been a lot of work done over the last few camps, including the tour to Georgia and the U20 Rugby Championship. Although we didn’t get the results against Australia and New Zealand in Gqeberha, we’ve taken a lot of good learnings from those experiences, and we feel we are very close to where we want to be.
“We still have a couple of things to work on, and we will work very hard indeed to make sure we are prepared and ready when we leave for Italy.”
Foote said he and his coaching staff are looking forward to working with the squad and see the Kenya meetings as a key part of the preparations: “We will work with a 37-player squad until after the two sessions against Kenya. Following that, we will be working with the selected 30-man squad in the last week of the training camp before our departure to Italy on 24 June.
Junior Springbok training squad:
Props: Simphiwe Ngobese (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ranon Fouché (Vodacom Bulls), Oliver Reid (DHL Western Province), Kubheka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jean Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Tebogo Nkosi (Toyota Cheetahs), Herman Lubbe (DHL Western Province).
Hookers: Juandré Schoeman (Vodacom Bulls), Siphosethu Mnebelele (Vodacom Bulls), Shaun Schürmann (Vodacom Bulls)
Locks: Jaco Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Riley Norton (DHL Western Province), Arno van der Merwe (Toyota Cheetahs), Morné Venter (Fidelity ADT Lions), JJ Theron (Vodacom Bulls), Zuko Phoswa (DHL Western Province).
Loose forwards: Xola Nyali (DHL Western Province), Thando Biyela (Fidelity ADT Lions), Batho Hlekani (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Stephanus Linde (Toyota Cheetahs), Wandile Mlaba (DHL Western Province).
Scrumhalves: Haashim Pead (Fidelity ADT Lions), Ceano Everson (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Erich Visser (Toyota Cheetahs)
Flyhalves: Vusi Moyo (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ian van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls).
Centres: Albie Bester (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Demitre Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Gino Cupido (DHL Western Province).
Outside backs: Jaco Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Siya Ndlozi (DHL Western Province), Cheswill Jooste (Vodacom Bulls), Gilermo Mentoe (Fidelity ADT Lions), Alzeadon Felix (Fidelity ADT Lions), Scott Nel (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Utility back: Dominic Malgas (DHL Western Province).
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