Five members of the victorious Junior Springbok team who won the World Rugby Under-20 Championship earlier this year in Italy were included in the SA Rugby U19 Academy training squad, that will go leave a three-game tour of Europe at the end of October.
The triumphant Junior Boks who are part of the training squad are SA U20 captain Riley Norton (lock), Oliver Reid and Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Kubheka (props), Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker), and Vusi Moyo (flyhalf),
The 36-man squad will assemble at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sports (SAS) next Wednesday (22 October), before heading to Europe a week later, where they will play two matches in France and one game in Ireland.
The U19 Academy programme is the front-runner project towards the selection of the official Junior Bok squad, who will play in the U20 Rugby Championship before defending their world crown in Georgia next year.
Also included in the squad are 17 players who represented the SA U18s in 2024, and nine who were picked for last year’s SA U18 ‘A’-side, proving the prolific efficiency of the Elite Player Development (EPD) programme.
None of this year’s SA Schools or SA U18 representatives were included in the U19 squad because of school exams but they will be considered for the next camps, planned for December and January.
Junior Bok coach Kevin Foote said the Stellenbosch camp and two-week overseas tour presents the players with a great opportunity to experience travelling and connecting as a group.
“This tour will give the players the chance to gain clarity of our game model and experience our Junior Boks culture,” said Foote.
“We are hugely grateful to SA Rugby for their support in arranging this tour at the backend of the year.”
The Junior Bok coach also explained the selection process: “We’ve picked only U19 players for this specific tour as we want the U18s to concentrate on finishing their exams and school year. The U18s already had a big year with the FNB Craven Week, the SA Schools match and the successful U18 International Series.”
As for the potential and objectives of this group, Foote said: “This is such a great opportunity for the U19’s – whom we’ve selected from our domestic U19 and U21 Cup competitions – to put up their hands for national colours and working towards next year’s World Rugby U20 Championship.
“From a coaching perspective, this period gives the coaching staff the opportunity to look closer at the group of players and to mentor them in our environment. The group of 36 will stay together for a week before a squad of 31 players will head to France and Ireland.”
SA U19 Academy training squad:
Props: Oliver Reid (DHL Western Province), Phiwayinkosi Kubheka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Aphiwe Shelembe (Vodacom Bulls), Ulrich van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Danie Kruger (DHL Western Province), Henry du Plessis (DHL Western Province).
Hookers: Siphosethu Mnebelele (Vodacom Bulls), Mahle Sithole (Fidelity ADT Lions), Liam van Wyk (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Lock forwards: Heinrich Theron (Vodacom Bulls), James Schnetler (Fidelity ADT Lions), Riley Norton (DHL Western Province), JD Hattingh (Fidelity ADT Lions), Tom Barnard (DHL Western Province).
Loose forwards: Kebotile Maake (Vodacom Bulls), Vuyo Gwiji (Fidelity ADT Lions), Risima Khosa (Fidelity ADT Lions), Luke Canon (Fidelity ADT Lions), Bohlala Mapisa (Toyota Cheetahs), Aiden de Costa (DHL Western Province), Reuben Kruger (DHL Western Province).
Scrumhalves: Brooklyn Newman (Vodacom Bulls), Adeeb Boraine (DHL Western Province), Elgernon Meyer (Fidelity ADT Lions).
Flyhalves: Vusi Moyo (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Luan Giliomee (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Centres: Pieter van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls), Janco Purchase (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Samuel Badenhorst (DHL Western Province), Gregan Jansen (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Outside backs: Dylan Miller (DHL Western Province), Unathi Mlotshwa (Vodacom, Bulls), Khuthadzo Rasivhaga (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Adriano Jackson (Fidelity ADT Lions), Lindsey Jansen (Vodacom Bulls), Akahluwa Boqwana (Vodacom Bulls).
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