Junior Springbok side announced by coach

Junior Springbok coach Bafana Nhleko named an exciting squad for the second leg of the SA Rugby Academy season, which features the u-20 International series.

Jordan Hendrikse (flyhalf) and George Cronje (No 8) are among the headline players. The first leg of the Academy, which kicked off early in April, concluded on Friday, and a reduced squad of 28 players will assemble at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport on Sunday, 6 June, for the second phase of the programme. This will feature matches between the Junior Springboks, Argentina, Georgia and Uruguay between June 18, and July 3.

All the players who take the field in the series will make their Junior Springbok debuts following the cancellation of the World Rugby u-20 Championships in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Several players, however, represented the SA Schools team in the u-18 International series in 2019.

They are Bobby Alexander (scrumhalf), Tyler Bocks, Zeilinga Strydom, Henco van Wyk (all centres), Cronje; Dylan de Leeuw, Simon Miller (both locks), Blaine Golden, Sibusiso Shongwe, Jan Hendrik Wessels (all props), Jacques Goosen, Andre-Hugo Venter (both hookers), and Siyemukela Ndlovu (flanker). Hendrikse, Izan Esterhuizen (flank), and Raynard Roets (lock), meanwhile, represented the SA Schools A team in the competition that season.

Unfortunately for Nhleko, Mnutngwa Mapantsela (wing), Keketso Morabe (flank) and Okuhle Siyeni (prop) were all ruled out of the squad after suffering knee injuries.
The team will begin their u-20 International series campaign against Uruguay on June 18 and will line up against Argentina on June 23, and Georgia on June 28.

“I would like to congratulate the players who have been selected,” said Nhleko. “It’s a great opportunity for them to make their mark by contributing to the team and our performance. We believe we have a well-balanced squad and are excited to see them perform on the field.”

Nhleko said, “All the boys worked hard, and the group got on really well, which always makes selection difficult.
“But now that there is clarity on the squad, we look forward to turning our focus to the international series.”
The other u-20 International series fixtures in the first three rounds of play will see Georgia being pitted against Argentina, Uruguay taking on Georgia and Argentina battling it out with Uruguay respectively.

The teams will receive four log points for a win, two points for a draw, and a bonus point for scoring four tries or more or suffering a defeat by seven points or less.
The series will culminate in a thrilling closing round with the top two ranked teams and bottom two sides respectively meeting July 3.