South Africa Under-20 squad named for French Tour
Baby Boks
Fullback Clayton Blommetjies, winger Sampie Mastriet and loose forward CJ Stander, who represented the Baby Boks at the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship, have been included in the South Africa Under-20 squad that will travel to France to participate in fixtures against French Invitational teams in February.
Two players, who participated in last year’s SA Under-18 High Performance programme – scrumhalf Luan Jacobs and flanker Lean Schwartz, will also join the 32-man squad that departs to France next Wednesday.
With the IRB Junior World Championship taking place in Argentina later this year, the main reason for this tour is to expose the SA Under-20s to as many international fixtures as possible prior to the tournament which kicks off on June 5.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) said 14 players were not considered for selection on this tour due to injury, or as a result of their involvement with their respective franchise’s Vodacom Super 14 preparations.
The SA Under-20s kick off their tour with a match against a French Invitational XV which takes place in Biarritz on February 6. The Baby Boks then take on a French Under-20 Selection team in Paris on February 9 before ending the tour with a second match against a French Invitational side three days later.
The French Invitational XV’s will comprise of players selected from their national Under-19 and Under-20 teams. “This tour will be a fantastic opportunity for the players to experience the standard of playing international opposition in different conditions to what they are used to,” said SA Under-20 coach Eric Sauls.
“We will also be using this tour to test certain playing combinations. This will be a great chance to see if our guys can make the step up against our French opposition.
“However, let’s not forget that there are players, who are involved in Vodacom Super 14 preparations with their respective franchises, which the national selectors will be monitoring very closely during the next few weeks. There are also a few guys that have not been considered for this tour due to injury.”
SA Under-20 touring squad:
Backs – Jacobus Scheepers (Free State), Clayton Blommetjies (Blue Bulls), Sampie Mastriet (Blue Bulls), Ayanda Foley (RPC), Divan Ferguson (Golden Lions), Burton Claasen (Western Province), Francois Venter (Free State), Ruan Combrink (Western Province), Jamba Ulengo (Free State), Siburu Sithole (Sharks), JC Roos (Blue Bulls), Louis Boshoff (Blue Bulls), Louis Schreuder (Western Province), Luan Jacobs (Blue Bulls), Frederick Muller (Western Province).
Forwards – CJ Stander (Blue Bulls), Fanie van der Walt (Free State), Rinus Riekert (Golden Lions), Reuben Johannes (Western Province), Lean Schwartz (Blue Bulls), Helmuth Lehman (Western Province), Sebastian De Chaves (Golden Lions), Johan Schoonbee (Sharks), Peet Marais (Sharks), Malugisi Bali (Blue Bulls), Andries Ferreira (Blue Bulls), Regard Dreyer (Golden Lions), Marcell van der Merwe (Free State), Monde Hadebe (Sharks), Francois du Toit (Golden Lions), Wessel du Rand (Golden Lions), Brummer Badenhorst (Western Province).
Players not considered due to injury or Vodacom Super 14 involvement: Kenny Okafor, Elton Jantjies, Adri Jacobs, Brenco du Preez, Lubabalo Mthembu, Siya Kolisi, Wandile Mjekevu, Thabiso Mngomezulu, Garth April, Jaco Taute, Ernst Dinkelman, Ruaan Smith, Jonno Ross, Patrick Lambie.
[Issued by SARU Communications]
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