Progress and growth on the agenda as U18 International Series concludes
The continued growth of their squads as a unit and the improvement of individual performances are high on the agenda for the SA Schools and SA Schools A coaches this weekend, when the final matches of the SA Rugby Under-18 International Series take place at Hugenote High School in Wellington on Saturday.
The undefeated SA Schools team will face England, while the SA Schools A team will front up to Argentina. Wales and France play in the other match of the highly-rated series.
The SA Schools side have scored impressive wins over Wales and Argentina so far, but for their coach, Mzwakhe Nkosi, the result against England is not the beginning and end of it.
“We all play to win of course, but this series is also important for us to develop our squad in playing experience and to test the players,” said Nkosi.
“They have shown good improvement from the first game to the second and if they continue that into our match against England, the management will be pleased. Our attack, for example, was not great against Wales, but then improved nicely against Argentina. We have grown as a squad and the time spend together was beneficial to all of us, so I hope that will be reflecting in our performances tomorrow.”
Nkosi made a couple of changes to the run-on squad from their match in Paarl, with the most notable the inclusion of Boldwin Hansen on the wing. The replacement-flyhalf showed his versatility around the park against Argentina.
Siyemukela Ndlovu (flanker) was also ruled out of the final match due to injury and Nkosi recalled Keketso Morabe to the starting team again. The Welkom Gymnasium flanker started against Wales last Friday as well.
In a rotational shift, regular captain, Jacques Goosen, will start from the bench, with Andre-Hugo Venter in the run-on team. The remaining leadership group of George Cronje (captain) and Tyler Bocks (vice-captain) will lead the side.
The SA Schools team to play England:
Zeilinga Strydom (Assupol Blue Bulls / Garsfontein)
Boldwin Hansen (Boland / Hermanus)
Henco van Wyk (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Monument)
Tyler Bocks (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)
Tharquinn Manuel (DHL Western Province / Stellenberg)
Kian Meadon (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)
Dylan Alexander (DHL Western Province / Paarl Gymnasium)
George Cronje (Captain, Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College)
Jarrod Taylor (Border / Selborne College)
Keketso Morabe (Thepa Trading Griffons / Welkom Gymnasium)
Dylan de Leeuw (DHL Western Province / Paul Roos Gymnasium)
Simon Miller (Assupol Blue Bulls / St Albans)
Sibusiso Shongwe (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Jeppe)
Andre-Hugo Venter (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College)
Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College)
Replacements:
Jacques Goosen (Border / Selborne College)
Okuhle Siyeni (Cell C Sharks / Westville Boys High)
Blaine Golden (Cell C Sharks / Glenwood)
Wandile Hlope (Cell C Sharks / Maritzburg College)
Mntungwa Mapantsela (Border / Selborne College)
Keane Galant (Boland / HTS Drostdy)
Jurich Claasens (Assupol Blue Bulls / Garsfontein)
Quan Horn (Western Province / Paarl Boys High)
Gideon van Wyk (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)
Connor Evans (DHL Western Province / Bishops)
SA Schools A calls on Williams
The SA Schools A team will face Argentina in the open match of the morning and their coach, Phiwe Nomlomo, made a couple of tweaks to the side that drew in an exciting encounter with Wales in Paarl on Tuesday, while he has to do without Dima Lebelo (hooker).
The Waterkloof High School pupil picked up an injury against Wales that ruled him out of the game. He will be replaced by Paarl Boys High’s Allister Williams, who will play off the bench.
Renzo du Plessis will earn his first start in the series, after two good cameo performances off the bench. The Ben Vorster High School pupil has a serious burst of speed that could pose serious problems to the Argentinean defence. Fellow flanker, Sisonke Vumazonke, will wear the No 6 jersey after playing off the bench in Paarl.
Marco van Rhyn will start at lock, with Corne Rahl playing off the bench while both props, Gerhard van der Merwe and Lukhanyo Vokozela, have been promoted into the starting team. Both joined the squad during the series due to injuries to other players and will be well pleased that their contributions have been valued in this way.
Wingers Nsuku Baloyi and Joseph Iye are the only changes to the backline, with both starting after playing off the bench against Wales.
The SA Schools A side to play Argentina:
Jacques Rossouw (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)
Nsuku Baloyi (Assupol Blue Bulls / Menlo Park)
Tiaan Pretorius (DHL Western Province / Paul Roos Gymnasium)
AJ Johnson (Assupol Blue Bulls / Garsfontein)
Joseph Iye (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / KES)
Sihlalo Benge (Border / Queens College)
Kabelo Mokheti (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Jeppe)
Jarod Cairns (captain – DHL Western Province / Paul Roos Gymnasium)
Renzo du Plessis (Unitrans Limpopo Blue Bulls / Ben Vorster)
Sisonke Vumazonke (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College)
Marco van Rhyn (DHL Western Province / Paarl Gymnasium)
Raynard Roets (Assupol Blue Bulls / Garsfontein)
Gerhard van der Merwe (Assupol Blue Bulls / Garsfontein)
Teague Loelly (Cell C Sharks / Westville)
Lukhanyo Vokozela (DHL Western Province / Rondebosch)
Replacements:
Allister Williams (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)
Rynhardt Rijnsburger (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)
Philip Masango (DHL Western Province / Wynberg)
Izan Esterhuizen (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Monument)
Josh van Vreden (Border / Selborne College)
Daimon O’Connell (Border / Selborne College)
Indiphile Tyeda (Border / Dale College)
Sonwabo Sokoyi (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College)
Corne Rahl (South Western Districts / Oakdale)
Pierich Siebert (DHL Western Province / Paarl Gymnasium)
Sibusiso Javu (Border / Selborne College)
The fixtures and kick-off times are:
SA Schools A v Argentina
Kick-off: 11h15
Referee: Manual Bottino (Italy)
TMO: Lourens van der Merwe
TV: SS1
France v Wales
Kick-off: 12h45
Referee: Morne Ferreira (SA Rugby)
TMO: Lourens van der Merwe
TV: SS1
SA Schools v England
Kick-off: 14h15
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
TMO: Lourens van der Merwe
TV: SS1
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