The Sharks SA U20 players
SA Rugby recently named their powerful SA U-20 squad to play in the IRB Junior World Championships 2012 to be played in Cape Town in June.
Amongst the 28-man squad, The Sharks Academy are well represented with 6 players being named; Pieter-Steph du Toit (lock), Paul Jordaan (centre) both having played in the demanding 2012 Vodacom Super Rugby Competition, whilst Braam Steyn (flank), Khaya Majola (flank), Allen Dell (prop) and Nicholas van Dyk (prop) have all been involved in the Vodacom Cup for The Sharks XV side.
Paul Jordaan became The Sharks Academy player number 55 when he ran out against the Bulls on 24 February in Week One of the 2012 Vodacom Super Rugby tournament. Matriculating from Grey College Bloem in 2010, after representing SA Schools that year he was recruited to the Academy for 2011 and was selected for The Sharks U-19 and U-21 teams.
Pieter-Steph du Toit, who hails from Swartland High School in the Cape, came to the Academy last year. He made Sharks U-19, Sharks U-21 and went on to win the Best First Year Rugby Student at The Academy Awards. This year he has been part of the senior Sharks team and has already achieved two Super Rugby caps.
Allen Dell, ex-Head Boy of Queen College, Border Craven Week and SA Schools player, joined the Academy last year, where he was selected for The Sharks U-19 side. His leadership qualities are clearly visible as he has already captained the rugby first team at school as well as The Sharks U-19 team in 2011.
Braam Steyn, who hails from Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, joined the Academy in 2011, after having represented WP in both the U-18 Craven Week in 2010 and U-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week in 2009. He has continued to impress and was part of The Sharks U-19 side.
Khaya Majola is a local boy through and through, being an ex-Westville Boy High pupil, who was part of the KZN Craven Week and SA Schools Rugby side and was part of The Sharks U-19 team in his first year at the Academy.
Nicholas van Dyk, who also hails from Cape Town, came to Durban to join the Academy last year from Paarl Boy’s High School, having represented both the WP Academy and Craven Week in 2010. He Initially started rugby as a loose forward but in 2010 he moved to prop and consequently made The Sharks U-19 side.
“We wish our players all the best for the IRB Under 20 World Cup to be held in Stellenbosch in June 2012,” said Sharks Academy MD Hans Scriba.
“The success of The Sharks Academy over recent years can be accredited to the professional environment that has been created for our rugby students, including the expertise of our coaches, our partnership with The Sharks, and our focus on providing every individual with the necessary skills and attributes to perform at his optimum.”
The squad assembles on 24 May in Cape Town for a training camp.
SA U-20 JWC group fixtures are as follows:
Monday 4 June SA vs Ireland (Danie Craven Stadium, 19h00)
Friday 8 June SA vs Italy (UWC Stadium, 19h00)
Tuesday 12 June SA vs England (Danie Craven Stadium, 19h00)
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