Paarl Gim schoolboy JD Schickerling locked in for DHL WP U19s
Schoolboy lock sensation JD Schickerling will make his debut for the DHL Western Province Under-19 team, as the WP juniors continue to hunt a semifinal place in the 2013 Absa Provincial Under-19 Competition.
Schickerling, a Western Province and SA Schools representative, slots straight into the starting line-up for Saturday’s must-win encounter against the Golden Lions (kick-off 09h45) and will join Sebastian Negri in the second row.
His selection is the only change to the DHL WP Under-19 team that claimed a crucial 36-7 away win over Border last weekend, with Attie van Rensburg dropping to the bench and Janco Venter falling out of the matchday squad for Saturday’s clash at DHL Newlands.
WP U19 coach Nazeem Adams told WP “JD is a special player. He’s excited about this opportunity and really looking forward to it. He’s fitted in nicely this week and he’s lifted the players around him.”
Schickerling will join fellow schoolboys Dewald Naude and Jarryd Sage in the WP line-up this week, as Adams’s team goes in search of a semifinal place.
WP are currently in fifth place on the log with 25 points from 10 matches, with the Leopards (30 points), the Lions (30) and the Sharks (33) just ahead of them on the log. Province, of course, will take on the Lions this weekend and the Sharks in Durban next Saturday.
“We need to win our two remaining matches,” said Adams, “there’s no doubt about it
“The Leopards beat the Sharks in Durban last week, and scored a bonus point, which means we are now five points adrift of fourth place. However, we could, if results go our way, even manage to get a home semifinal this season!
“But, that said, all we can do is control what’s in our hands and that’s this weekend’s match and, then, our final league game against the Sharks in Durban.”
Adams, however, is not about to lose focus ahead of this weekend and he stressed: “The Lions are a dangerous team, but I believe they can be beaten. We ran them close last time, at altitude, losing by 26-31 and we know a bit more about them this (second) time (around).”
One big adjustment that Adams has made since earlier this season is the selection of a flank who plays to the ball. Ruan Rossouw has given the team some extra mongrel on the ground and he has been ably supported by Johan de Villiers.
Adams admitted: “I think part of our struggles from this season can be attributed to not having the necessary balance in our loose trio.
“Ruan and Johan compete on the ground and that has allowed our captain Ramone Samuels and flanker Luke van der Smit into the game (as ball-carriers) and, of course, we can still call upon Steven Meiring if need be.”
The DHL Western Province Under-19 team to take on the Lions is as follows:
15. Jason Worrall
14. Dewald Naude
13. Jarryd Sage
12. Michal Haznar
11. Jason Morris
10. Chris Smith
9. Pieter Schoonraad
8. Ramone Samuels (captain)
7. Luke van der Smit
6. Ruan Rossouw
5. Sebastian Negri
4. JD Schickerling
3. Michael van Tonder
2. Chad Solomon
1. Wesley Adonis
Replacements:
16. Josh Moon
17. Liam Hendricks
18. Nathan Gogela
19. Attie van Rensburg
20. Johan de Villiers
21. Jonty Breddell
22. Dalen Goliath
23. Shane Grundlingh
Referee: Christie du Preez
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