Author: saru

A rejuvenated Junior Springbok squad filled with excitement are ready for take-off for Italy, where the 2025 edition of the World Rugby Under-20 Championship kicks off on Sunday.

The South Africans will launch their campaign against Australia, with pool matches against England and Scotland to follow.

The squad had their traditional capping ceremony last Friday evening in Cape Town and wrapped up their preparations in Stellenbosch on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday, they will depart to their tournament base in Verona, where they will fine-tune preparations ahead of the competition.

Junior Bok captain Riley Norton (lock) and fellow forwards Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker) and JJ Theron (lock) shared their thoughts on the team’s readiness and the challenges that await in Italy.

Norton, who matriculated from Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch last year, expressed immense pride in representing South Africa.

“We’ve worked incredibly hard to be here, and all of us are just so proud to be representing this team and our country,” said Norton.

“The coaches and staff have done an amazing job in preparing us for this tournament, and now it’s up to the players to go out and do the best that they’re capable of.

“The brotherhood and togetherness are big focuses for us, and we all have that desire to be the best player that we can be, in the service of our country and for the Junior Springbok team. The challenge to face the best teams at our age group level is enormously exciting to all of us as players.”

Mnebelele, the SA U18 captain last year who attended King Edward VII School in Johannesburg, highlighted the importance of their recent experience in the U20 Rugby Championship: “The intensity will be quite different than what we’re used to, and that is why we are so grateful that we played in the Rugby Championship. Playing against Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand prepared us well for the challenges ahead.”

He described Springbok Damian Willemse’s motivational talk at the capping ceremony as truly inspiring: “He told us to be ourselves, play to the best of our abilities, and fight for each other, our team, and the country.”

Regarding the tournament format, Theron – SA Schools captain in 2023, who went to Grey College in Bloemfontein – added: “It is a very demanding tournament with a five-day turnaround (between matches), but as South Africans, we always embrace a challenge.

“Australia, England, and Scotland – each game will be an enormous test, but we don’t look too far ahead. We aim to always stay in the moment and do the job at hand, what is necessary.

“We pride ourselves on our physicality, and that’s what we aim to display when we take the field, to play to our strengths. We are all enormously proud to be selected for the Junior Boks, and we are excited about the tournament and the opportunity to play for our country.”

The team will travel to Italy on Tuesday and will have their first session on Italian soil on Wednesday afternoon after settling into their base in Verona.

Junior Springbok squad for the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy:

Props: Jean Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Kubheka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Herman Lubbe (DHL Western Province), Simphiwe Ngobese (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Oliver Reid (DHL Western Province).

Hookers: Siphosethu Mnebelele (Vodacom Bulls), Jaundré Schoeman (Vodacom Bulls).

Locks: Jaco Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Riley Norton (captain, DHL Western Province), JJ Theron (Vodacom Bulls), Morné Venter (Fidelity ADT Lions).

Loose forwards: Thando Biyela (Fidelity ADT Lions), Bathobele Hlekani (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wandile Mlaba (DHL Western Province), Xola Nyali (DHL Western Province), Matt Romao (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Stephanus Linde (Toyota Cheetahs).

Scrumhalves: Ceano Everson (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Haashim Pead (Fidelity ADT Lions), Erich Visser (Toyota Cheetahs).

Flyhalves: Vusi Moyo (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ian van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls).

Centres: Albie Bester (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gino Cupido (DHL Western Province), Demitre Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Dominic Malgas (DHL Western Province).

Outside backs: Cheswill Jooste (Vodacom Bulls), Gilermo Mentoe (Fidelity ADT Lions), Siya Ndlozi (DHL Western Province), Jaco Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).

South Africa’s Pool A fixtures:

Sunday, 29 June: Junior Boks vs Australia U20 – Stadio San Michele (Calvisano)

Friday, 4 July: Junior Boks vs England U20 – Stadio Mario Battaglini (Rovigo)

Wednesday, 9 July: Junior Boks vs Scotland U20 – June Stadio San Michele (Calvisano)

Playoffs:

Monday, 14 July: Semi-finals (Verona and Viadana)

Saturday, 19 July: Final and ranking matches (Calvisano and Rovigo)

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote has included five players who will feature in their second World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy, with lock Riley Norton retained as captain for the tournament which will be staged from 29 June to 19 July.

Phiwayinkosi Kubheka (prop) and Ian van der Merwe (flyhalf) have not played for the SA U20s before, while Jaco Grobbelaar (lock), Stephanus Linde (No 8) and Jaco Williams (outside back) are back in the squad after missing the recent U20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha.

Kubheka played for the SA U18s last year and Van der Merwe in 2023, while Linde toured with the Junior Boks in Georgia earlier this year before he picked up an injury which ruled him out of the Rugby Championship. Grobbelaar and Williams were involved with the Vodacom United Rugby Championship squads with the Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks, respectively.

Grobbelaar is one of the five players who are returning for a second World Rugby Championship stint, alongside utility forward Bathobele Hlekani, prop Herman Lubbe, loose forward Wandile Mlaba and scrumhalf Haashim Pead.

Furthermore, six players who are still U19 have been included in the squad, which bodes well for next season. They are Kubheka and his fellow prop Oliver Reid, Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker), Norton (lock), Vusi Moyo (flyhalf), and Cheswill Jooste (outside back).

According to Foote, the final selection process was a very difficult task and he and the coaching staff are very pleased with the final squad.

“The boys have all been superb in their attitude and application and most of the group have been together since November last year, when the SA Under-19 Academy Programme kicked off in Stellenbosch,” said Foote.

“I want to thank every player who have been part of the various training groups, for their amazing effort. The schools and provincial unions also deserve a huge amount of credit for the way in which they have prepared our players.

“The provincial unions must be commended for their excellent cooperation during the numerous training camps, our successful tour to Georgia and the Rugby Championship.”

The training squad of 37 players were reduced to the official squad size of 30 players who will represent South Africa from the end of the month against the best U20 players in world rugby.

“We selected a good group of players who are determine to do the country proud with their performances on the field of play and their conduct off-field,” said Foote.

“It was an enormously difficult task to cut the squad to 30 players and we all feel for those guys who did not make the final selection. I want to say thank you to them for their positive attitude and their great effort at all times, they will remain on standby, and we will not hesitate to call any of them up should the need arise.

“Congratulations to the 30 who were selected; what an honour to represent your country against the best in world.”

The squad will continue with their preparations in Stellenbosch until their departure to Italy on 24 June. The Junior Boks open their campaign in Italy on 29 June against Australia in Calvisano, before they take on England on 4 July in Rovigo, and their final pool fixture is on 9 July against Scotland, also in Calvisano.

Junior Springbok squad for the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy:

Props: Jean Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Kubheka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Herman Lubbe (DHL Western Province), Simphiwe Ngobese (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Oliver Reid (DHL Western Province).

Hookers: Siphosethu Mnebelele (Vodacom Bulls), Jaundré Schoeman (Vodacom Bulls).

Locks: Jaco Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Riley Norton (captain, DHL Western Province), JJ Theron (Vodacom Bulls), Morné Venter (Fidelity ADT Lions).

Loose forwards: Thando Biyela (Fidelity ADT Lions), Bathobele Hlekani (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wandile Mlaba (DHL Western Province), Xola Nyali (DHL Western Province), Matt Romao (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Stephanus Linde (Toyota Cheetahs).

Scrumhalves: Ceano Everson (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Haashim Pead (Fidelity ADT Lions), Erich Visser (Toyota Cheetahs).

Flyhalves: Vusi Moyo (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ian van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls).

Centres: Albie Bester (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gino Cupido (DHL Western Province), Demitre Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Dominic Malgas (DHL Western Province).

Outside backs: Cheswill Jooste (Vodacom Bulls), Gilermo Mentoe (Fidelity ADT Lions), Siya Ndlozi (DHL Western Province), Jaco Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).

South Africa’s Pool A fixtures:

Sunday, 29 June: Junior Boks vs Australia U20 – Stadio San Michele (Calvisano)

Friday, 4 July: Junior Boks vs England U20 – Stadio Mario Battaglini (Rovigo)

Wednesday, 9 July: Junior Boks vs Scotland U20 – June Stadio San Michele (Calvisano)

Playoffs:

Monday, 14 July: Semi-finals (Verona and Viadana)

Saturday, 19 July: Final and ranking matches (Calvisano and Rovigo)

 

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Lwazi Zangqa from Border has been named as the new head coach of the SA Schools side, and he will be assisted by the Bulls’ Cobus van Dyk, while the SA Schools ‘A’ team will be coached by Flash Malinga of KwaZulu-Natal, with Clinton van Rensburg of Western Province named as his assistant.

SA Rugby has confirmed the coaching and management teams for the SA Schools and SA U18 squads on Thursday, with a strong focus on continuity, quality, qualifications, and succession planning.

Zangqa (Hudson Park High School) was SA Schools assistant coach last year and he is also a former SA Schools Academy head coach, while Van Dyk (Hoërskool Waterkloof) was one of the specialist coaches for both the SA Schools and SA Schools ‘A’ teams in 2023 and 2024.

Malinga, a former Bulls Daisies head coach, was in charge of the Junior Springbok Women last year. He accepted a teaching and coaching role with Maritzburg College at the end of 2023. Van Rensburg (Rondebosch Boys’ High School) has led the DHL WP U18 Craven Week team to success over the past three years.

All four coaches are World Rugby Level 3 certified and have been integral to SA Rugby’s Elite Player Development (EPD) Programme, ensuring alignment with national high-performance objectives.

“I want to congratulate each of these coaches on their well-deserved appointments,” said SA Rugby CEO, Rian Oberholzer.

“We thank them for their continued commitment to developing young talent and wish them every success as they embrace this opportunity. Their involvement is a testament to the strength of our EPD system and the quality of coaching emerging from our schools. We are confident they will play a vital role in shaping the future of South African rugby.”

SA Rugby’s head coach of Junior Rugby, Kevin Foote, will oversee the coaching framework and mentor the appointed coaches. SA Rugby’s integration of the SA U20 coaches – Foote, Lumumba Currie, and Melusi Mthethwa – into the SA Schools and U18 structures is a strategic move to ensure a seamless transition for both players and coaches progressing through the ranks.

Foote said: “This structure ensures our junior teams are aligned with national strategies, while also giving our coaches the tools to grow within a high-performance environment.”

The EPD Programme continues to produce top-tier coaching talent, with recent success stories including former SA Schools coaches James Winstanley, Phiwe Nomlomo, and Wessel du Plessis at the Bulls, and Mzwakhe Nkosi at the Golden Lions.

The SA Schools teams will play their traditional fixture against each other on Thursday, 17 July at 15h00 at HTS Middelburg, following the FNB U18 Craven Week, which takes place from 6 to 12 July 2025 at Hoërskool Middelburg. Details of the SA U18 matches will be confirmed in due course.

 

SA Schools and SA U18 Management:

• Head Coach: Lwazi Zangqa (Border)
• Assistant Coach: Cobus van Dyk (Blue Bulls)
• Team Manager: Dean Moodley (KwaZulu-Natal)
• Physiotherapist: Robin Williams (KwaZulu-Natal)
• Conditioning Coach: Yaw Fosu-Amoah (Eastern Province)
• Team Doctor: Dr Gershwin Kortje (Boland)

 

SA Schools ‘A’ and SA U18 ‘A’ Management:

• Head Coach: Flash Malinga (KwaZulu-Natal)
• Assistant Coach: Clinton van Rensburg (Western Province)
• Team Manager: Mandla Madaka (Blue Bulls)
• Physiotherapist: Rob Sims (Western Province)
• Conditioning Coach: Adriaan Jansen (SWD)
• Team Doctor: Dr Gershwin Kortje (Boland)

 

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has included three new players in a training squad for the SA u20s’ final preparation camp which starts in Stellenbosch on Monday in the build-up towards the World Rugby Under-20 Championship next month in Italy.

Foote has welcomed back a number of familiar faces who are back from injury and Vodacom United Rugby Championship duty in addition to three newcomers in Rambo Kubheka (loosehead prop), Shaun Schürman (hooker) and Ian van der Merwe (flyhalf).

Returning to the squad are locks Jaco Grobbelaar and Arno van der Merwe, No 8 Stephanus Linde, and outside backs Jaco Williams and Alzeadon Felix.

“Rambo, who played for the SA u18s last year, has been doing very well for Hollywoodbets Sharks in the SA Rugby U21 Cup, while Shaun and Ian, a very good game driver and left-footed kicker, have also been in good form for the Vodacom Bulls U21s,” said Foote.

“Jaco Grobbelaar, who played for the Junior Boks last year, is back from his Vodacom URC duty with the Vodacom Bulls and will join us in week two, and Stephanus, who toured with us to Georgia earlier this year, returns after he picked up a knee injury in the FNB Varsity Cup.

“It’s also good to welcome back from injury Jaco Williams, who has been training with the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ Vodacom URC team, Alzeadon Felix, who had a good Varsity Cup campaign, and Arno van der Merwe.”

Foote also revealed that HB Odendaal (hooker), Neil Hansen (lock), Divan Fuller (flanker), and Matt Romao (flanker) have been ruled out due to injury, while JC Mars (fullback) will join the squad as soon as he has shrugged off a hamstring niggle.

The Junior Boks will train for the next three weeks before the 30-man squad fly out to Italy on 24 June for the annual World Rugby u20 Championship. Two training sessions against a visiting senior Kenyan side form part of the schedule as the squad step up their readiness for Italy.

According to Foote, the meetings with Kenya will be match simulation exercises, with the first set for 9 June and the second one five days later on 14 June, both in Stellenbosch.

“We’re a very settled team now, with some guys coming back from injury and unfortunately some players being injured whilst on duty for their provinces in the SA Rugby U21 Cup,” said Foote.

“We’ve kept the core of the squad together for a long time now; they’re a great team off the field and have a good connection, which we think is very important for us going into the World Championship, also understanding how we want to play and our game model.

“There has been a lot of work done over the last few camps, including the tour to Georgia and the U20 Rugby Championship. Although we didn’t get the results against Australia and New Zealand in Gqeberha, we’ve taken a lot of good learnings from those experiences, and we feel we are very close to where we want to be.

“We still have a couple of things to work on, and we will work very hard indeed to make sure we are prepared and ready when we leave for Italy.”

Foote said he and his coaching staff are looking forward to working with the squad and see the Kenya meetings as a key part of the preparations: “We will work with a 37-player squad until after the two sessions against Kenya. Following that, we will be working with the selected 30-man squad in the last week of the training camp before our departure to Italy on 24 June.

Junior Springbok training squad:

Props: Simphiwe Ngobese (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ranon Fouché (Vodacom Bulls), Oliver Reid (DHL Western Province), Kubheka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jean Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Tebogo Nkosi (Toyota Cheetahs), Herman Lubbe (DHL Western Province).

Hookers: Juandré Schoeman (Vodacom Bulls), Siphosethu Mnebelele (Vodacom Bulls), Shaun Schürmann (Vodacom Bulls).

Locks: Jaco Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Riley Norton (DHL Western Province), Arno van der Merwe (Toyota Cheetahs), Morné Venter (Fidelity ADT Lions), JJ Theron (Vodacom Bulls), Zuko Phoswa (DHL Western Province).

Loose forwards: Xola Nyali (DHL Western Province), Thando Biyela (Fidelity ADT Lions), Batho Hlekani (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Stephanus Linde (Toyota Cheetahs), Wandile Mlaba (DHL Western Province).

Scrumhalves: Haashim Pead (Fidelity ADT Lions), Ceano Everson (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Erich Visser (Toyota Cheetahs).

Flyhalves: Vusi Moyo (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ian van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls).

Centres: Albie Bester (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Demitre Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Gino Cupido (DHL Western Province).

Outside backs: Jaco Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Siya Ndlozi (DHL Western Province), Cheswill Jooste (Vodacom Bulls), Gilermo Mentoe (Fidelity ADT Lions), Alzeadon Felix (Fidelity ADT Lions), Scott Nel (Hollywoodbets Sharks).

Utility back: Dominic Malgas (DHL Western Province).

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

South Africa’s Griffin Colby and Quinton Immelman were included amongst the list of match officials confirmed on Thursday for the forthcoming World Rugby Under-20 Rugby Championship, which kicks off in a month’s time in Italy.

Colby will do duty as a match referee whilst Immelman will be involved as a Television Match Official (TMO).

Ten referees from 10 different nations have been selected to officiate at the age-grade tournament, which will be staged across the Lombardia and Veneto regions in Italy from 29 Juneto 19 July.

Apart from Colby, the other referees are Tomas Bertazza (Argentina), Ben Breakspear (Wales), Katsuki Furuse (Japan), Peter Martin (Ireland), Marcus Playle (New Zealand), Jérémy Rozier (France), Filippo Russo (Italy), Lex Weiner (USA) and Morgan White (Hong Kong China).

Seven of the 10 will be making their World Rugby U20 Championship debuts, including Katsuki Furuse, Morgan White, and Lex Weiner, underlining the strength of World Rugby’s development pathway for match officials.

Five Television Match Officials complete the panel in Immelman, Leo Colgan (Ireland), Graham Cooper (Australia), Aled Griffiths (Wales), and Dan Jones (RFU) with two of them – Colgan and Immelman – also selected for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England later this year.

World Rugby Talent ID Manager and Tournament Referee Manager Johnny Lacey said: “The selection of this panel highlights the referees that are coming through our pathway system. We have been working closely with our unions and regions to increase the number of match officials in our pathway into World Rugby competitions.

“We are already starting to see the benefits with our talent identification programme providing four referees for this tournament and we are excited to see what the future holds for the officials involved in our men’s and women’s pathways.”

 The world’s best 12 teams will play matches across four cities in Italy – Calvisano, Rovigo, Verona and Viadana – in the race to lift the coveted trophy.

England are the defending champions after beating France in the 2024 final in South Africa for a fourth title, while three-time winners France arrive in Italy as U20 Six Nations champions, and six-time champions New Zealand recently won the U20 Rugby Championship crown.

Split into three pools of four teams, the winners of each pool and the best runner-up across the three pools will qualify for the semi-finals.

World Rugby Under-20 Championship 2025:

Date: 29 June to 19 July

Stadiums: Stadio San Michele (Calvisano), Stadio Mario Battaglini (Rovigo), Payanini Center (Verona), Stadio Luigi Zaffanella (Viadana).

Pools:

Pool A: England (1), Australia (6), South Africa (7), Scotland (12)

Pool B: France (2), Argentina (5), Wales (8), Spain (11)

Pool C: New Zealand (3), Ireland (4), Georgia (9), Italy (10)

Pool matches:

Match day 1: Sunday, 29 June (Calvisano and Verona)

Match day 2: Friday, 4 July (Rovigo and Viadana)

Match day 3: Wednesday, 9 July (Calvisano and Verona)

Playoffs:

Match day 4: Monday, 14 July (Verona and Viadana)

Match day 5 (final and ranking matches): Saturday, 19 July (Calvisano and Rovigo)

Issued by SA Rugby Communications and World Rugby

The development of women’s rugby to ensure the growth of the game, the important role of schools’ rugby and the FNB Youth Weeks, and the presentation of a unified tackle age framework were three of the main points on the agenda at SA Rugby’s second Community Rugby Workshop, which was held in Johannesburg earlier this week.

Bringing together representatives from all 15 provincial unions and key stakeholders, the two-day event – hosted by SA Rugby’s Participation & Development Department – focused on several strategic priorities, which also included the implementation of Long-Term Player and Coach Development pathways (LTPD and LTCD) and the continued emphasis on player safety.

A major highlight was the presentation of a unified tackle age framework for all participants in the South African rugby ecosystem, with timelines confirmed for its approval and rollout.

“This workshop is more than a meeting – it’s a cornerstone for the future of South African rugby,” said Mr Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby.

“It embodies our commitment to the #GrowTogetherPlayTogether philosophy, ensuring that rugby thrives in every community.”

Mr Alexander emphasized the vital role of community rugby in growing the game, developing players, coaches, match officials, and administrators, noting that while elite rugby often garners the spotlight, the heart of the game beats strongest at grassroots level.

“It is at this level that the hard work is done, shaping the players, match officials, coaches, and leaders of tomorrow,” he said. “While the top tiers of the game often receive the exposure and limelight, it is here, within the heart of the community, where the true essence of rugby thrives.

“We deeply respect and admire the dedication, passion, and commitment of those who drive this crucial component of our sport. Without your efforts, rugby would not be the force it is today. You are the bedrock of our game, ensuring its growth, accessibility, and continued excellence across all levels.”

SA Rugby’s presentations and deliberations covered a wide range of strategic initiatives:

• Women’s Rugby Development: Plans to host U16 and U18 Elite Player Development camps for girls later this year were unveiled, with a focus on mirroring the structures available to boys. The aim is to create equal opportunities for female players and coaches through clear, sustainable pathways.
• Training and Education: Enhanced efforts to equip players, coaches, and match officials with the tools to succeed at all levels.
• Schools and Youth Rugby: The FNB Youth Weeks and school rugby remain central to the development pipeline, with renewed emphasis on post-COVID recovery and growth.
• Data-Driven Growth: Verified participation data was shared, reinforcing SA Rugby’s strategic goal – as outlined in the “Destination 2027” plan – to grow male participation by 10% and female participation by 30% by the end of 2027.
• Match-officials: Grow the number of referees, improve operational efficiencies, and improve refereeing through standardised inhouse coaching systems and education.

“Data is the new oil in community rugby,” said Ian Schwartz, General Manager of the Participation & Development Department. “It fuels our strategic direction and supports the creation of a gender-inclusive ecosystem where all players and coaches can thrive.

“South Africa is among the few countries globally where rugby participation continues to grow, with over 103,986 male and female players currently registered. However, the growth in female participation remains relatively slow, with women making up only 6.5% of the total playing population.”

The workshop also highlighted the impact of key development programmes with the aim of expanding access and opportunity.

The Get Into Rugby (GIR) programme now accounts for 50% of primary school participants and 80% of all girls in the system, while the VUKA programme and Iqhawe Week, which are run by the SA Rugby Legends Association (SARLA), continue to expand access to rugby in underrepresented communities, smaller and rural schools.

Plans to continue with the Pick n Pay Gold Cup club tournament were also confirmed, providing a vital platform for club players to transition into high-performance environments. A national women’s club competition remains a strategic priority.

Important updates were shared on BokSmart compliance, safeguarding protocols, the management of participation data and the planned tournaments and operational processes for the year.

“Rugby is more than a sport – it’s a community and a catalyst for positive change,” concluded Mr Alexander. “To everyone who contributes to this journey – from the provincial unions, other stakeholders and the SA Rugby Legends, for their generous and ongoing contribution to the growth of the game while reinforcing rugby’s vital role in social upliftment, thank you. Together, we are building a stronger, more inclusive future for South African rugby.”

 Issued by SA Rugby Communications

The Junior Springboks fell short in their bid to capture the Under-20 Rugby Championship when they lost to New Zealand in Gqeberha on Sunday, but SA U20 head coach Kevin Foote said the players can take huge positives from their courageous effort against the young Kiwis.

New Zealand held on to beat the Junior Springboks 48-45 in front of close to 15,000 spectators at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to retain the title in dramatic fashion, after South Africa led 26-24 at the break.

Speaking to the media afterwards, Foote said his players can be proud of their effort, although they just fell short in a brilliant, high-scoring, and hugely entertaining match.

“There are a lot of positives to take from that performance; we are on a massive journey together and I’ve only met Riley Norton and the guys back in November, so we are definitely working hard on our game model and principles which everyone understands now,” said Foote.

“From a character and leadership perspective, we are in in a good place, and the lessons we learnt will be of huge benefit as we approach the World Rugby U20 Championship next month in Italy.”

The South Africans played their part in a breathtaking attacking game, which delivered more than 90 points and went down to the wire, with New Zealand under huge pressure and playing with 13 men at the end.

“I think Melusi (Mthethwa, the team’s backline coach) has done a great job in terms of our attack and I really feel that the players have clarity on how we want to play,” said Foote.

“We played some exciting and brilliant attacking rugby during the tournament and just to hear the crowd get behind us when we started to light it up was exceptional.

“We know we are not the finished product, and we know we have a lot of work to do, but I do think our attack has come a long way and the guys are loving the way we are attacking.”

Foote said the Junior Bok coaching staff are keen to send some players back to their provincial unions to play in the SA Rugby U21 Cup competition: “We will take it case by case, but some players will go back to their provinces to play in the U21 competition,

“It’s a strong competition and the players are well-coached there, and we are keen for them to keep going. There will be some whose load we will have to manage, but we will do our medicals and take it case by case.”

SA U20 captain Riley Norton, who again had a solid game at lock, was also full of praise for the players’ efforts, on and off the field, during the tournament.

“To have played these high-pressure games against such quality opposition before the World Champs is going to be vital for us,” said Norton.

“The lessons we learnt, the connections and relationships we have managed to build, not only on the field but off-field as well, and the trust we managed to create, are extremely important to us.”

Norton also praised the Eastern Cape crowd for their support during the thrilling encounter: “It was a massive honour for us to play in front of such a passionate crowd. They came out in numbers on a Sunday afternoon, and we are privileged to represent them and play for the country. We want to say thank you to the people of Gqeberha for the support and hospitality throughout our three-week long stay here.”

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

The Junior Springboks are motivated and determined to finish the U20 Rugby Championship on a positive note when they face New Zealand at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Sunday.

SA U20 head coach Kevin Foote has included five players from the side that faced Australia earlier in the week for their clash against New Zealand.

In the pack, loosehead prop Simphiwe Ngobese, lock and captain Riley Norton, and No 8 Wandile Mlaba are retained from the side which fell just short against Australia.

Vusi Moyo, who gave a strong performance against the Aussies, retains the flyhalf berth, while Cheswill Jooste will run out at right wing as the only backs starting again.

Norton, Mlaba and Jooste will start their third successive games in the competition.

The Junior Boks had a robust review of their match against Australia and have worked hard on those aspects of their game which they have identified for improvement.

According to Foote, the Junior Boks are all highly motivated and very positive for the exciting challenge of facing South Africa’s biggest rugby rival in front of what promises to be a big crowd at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

“Obviously, we were bitterly disappointed with not winning the Australian game, but there were some great learnings for us in preparation for the World Championship,” said Foote.

“I thought that our set piece took a big step forward, and we controlled a lot of the game for a period, but there are aspects for us to work on, in particular our breakdown. We got turned over too often while some of the kicking patterns were out of character, which we look to fix and get some clarity around that.”

Regarding team selection for the New Zealand match, Foote explained: “We’re bringing some players back from the first game while retaining some guys who played in the second game. That will bring some freshness to the match-23, and there is real excitement in the squad for our match on Saturday.

“We believe we have a good and confident team, and all the players have put in a massive effort during the last two and a half weeks. We want to finish strong in front of our home crowd on Mother’s Day, making our mothers proud and celebrating all the moms in the country.”

South Africa and New Zealand have a special rivalry on the rugby field that is full of tradition, and that is something that Foote and his Junior Boks are very aware of.

“Playing against New Zealand is one of the biggest honours in rugby and playing in the green and gold jersey against them is always very special, and something we don’t take for granted,” Foote emphasised.

Sunday’s clash with New Zealand is the last fixture of the U20 Rugby Championship. Kick-off is at 16h10 and the match will be broadcast live on SuperSport. Argentina and Australia clash at 14h00. Gates open at 12h00 and tickets costs R20 at the stadium ticket office as well online at Webtickets.

Junior Springbok team to face New Zealand in Gqeberha:

15. Gilermo Mentoe
14. Cheswill Jooste
13. Demitre Erasmus
12. Albie Bester
11. Gino Cupido
10. Vusi Moyo
9. Haashim Pead
8. Wandile Mlaba
7. Matt Romao
6. Thando Biyela
5. JJ Theron
4. Riley Norton (captain)
3. Jean Erasmus
2. Siphosethu Mnebelele
1. Simphiwe Ngobese

Replacements:

16. Juandre Schoeman
17. Oliver Reid
18. Herman Lubbe
19. Morne Venter
20. Batho Hlekani
21. Ceano Everson
22. Kyle Smith
23. JC Mars

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote credited Australia for staying in the fight and producing a gutsy second half performance to edge South Africa in their second-round Under-20 Rugby Championship clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Tuesday afternoon.

Australia overturned a 17-point deficit in a tactically astute second-half performance to beat the Junior Boks by 29-24 in a game of two halves. The visitors dominated territory after the break as they grew in confidence, while the Junior Boks failed to capitalise on their opportunities, especially in the first half.

After the Junior Boks scored two first half tries, Australia turned the tables in the second half by making good use of their scoring opportunities, while the hosts would want to look at their discipline and play at the breakdowns, especially after the break.

“We got pegged down in our own half after half-time, and a few turnovers gave them opportunities and momentum,” said Foote, whose team beat Argentina in the opening round last Thursday.

“I think Australia deserve a lot of credit for staying in the fight, they’re gutsy and did well at that. We turned over too much ball and the defensive pressure became big for us.

“The number one thing to improve on is probably to look after our ball and making sure we don’t give it up too easily, as well as our discipline to not concede soft penalties.”

Junior Bok captain Riley Norton also emphasised the number of penalties conceded and the Aussies’ territorial advantage.

“I thought we had a great first half and I thought our game drivers were doing very well,” said Norton.

“In the second half we conceded some soft penalties at times and then we lost the territorial battle. These are valuable lessons for us before the World Rugby U20 Championship.

“We can go back and look at the positives and try to improve on the things we didn’t do well. It did not go our way today, but the boys are still positive, and we have one more game to play in the Championship, and we are excited for that.”

New Zealand scored 11 tries to three in their 75-21 victory over Argentina earlier on Tuesday, and Foote said they realise a big step up will be required when they take on their arch-rivals on Sunday.

“This will be a huge fixture for us – they play with a great tempo and have their tails up (after beating Argentina), so they will be great opposition,” said Foote.

“The team will be very highly motivated for the New Zealand match; we are playing at home, and facing New Zealand is just an amazing Test match in itself.”

After two rounds, New Zealand leads the standings with seven points, followed by Australia on six, South Africa on five, and Argentina on zero.

On Sunday, the Aussies and Pumitas cross swords at 14h00, while the final match is at 16h10 between the Junior Boks and the Kiwis. Tickets cost R20 and are available online from Webtickets or at the ticket office of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has made several rotational changes to his starting line-up and included four players who played for the SA U20s last year for their second Rugby Championship Under-20 match against Australia at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Tuesday.

The SA U20s managed to beat Argentina in the opening round on Thursday, while Australia forced a late draw against New Zealand, scoring the equalising try after the hooter had sounded.

Foote has handed starts to JC Mars, Wandile Mlaba, Batho Hlekani and Herman Lubbe, all of whom played for the Junior Boks last year.

The SA U20 coach said it is important to keep their momentum going, manage the load of the players whilst also building squad depth by giving the players exposure to top-class international rugby.

With this – and Tuesday’s game against Australia – in mind, Foote said: “We play three internationals against quality teams in just 11 days, and with the short turnaround time between matches, we must be smart with our player load management.

“We have good squad depth and it’s important for the players to get a taste of international rugby, while we also want to build on our performance against Argentina, knowing that Australia will pose a huge challenge for us.”

In the Junior Bok front row, Simphiwe Ngobese and Lubbe will pack down as props on either side of hooker Juandre Schoeman. Riley Norton is retained at lock and will captain the team again, partnering with Morne Venter.

The loose forward combination sees Xola Nyali, who had a successful campaign with FNB Varsity Cup champions, UCT, coming onto the side of the scrum at flanker. He teams up with Hlekani, who made a strong impact off the bench in the second half against the Pumitas, while Mlaba is retained at No 8, to complete the loose trio.

Amongst the backs there is a new halfback pairing consisting of Ceano Everson (scrumhalf) and Vusi Moyo (flyhalf), while the midfield comprises of Dominic Malgas and Scott Nel. Cheswill Jooste will start again at right wing, and he will be joined in the back three by Siya Ndlozi (left wing) and Mars (fullback).

Regarding the team and their prospects of playing Australia, who will be highly motivated to register their first win, Foote said he is happy with the balance of the squad.

“It’s a nice match-23 with lots of exciting players and speed amongst the backs, complemented by a big and physical forward pack, and we are looking forward to the game,” said Foote.

“We see Australia as a massive threat with their ball movement and how they play with width, and we expect they will have some special structured set pieces with lineouts and scrums.

“I know Chris Whitaker from our time together in Vodacom Super Rugby, and he is an exciting, attacking coach. We know we will have to be on top of our game regarding their threats.”

The match kicks off at 16h10 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport. Argentina and New Zealand play in the earlier match on Tuesday starting at 14h00. Tickets for all matches cost R20 and can be bought online at Webtickets or at the ticket office of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

The Junior Springbok team to face Australia in Gqeberha:

15. JC Mars
14. Cheswill Jooste
13. Scott Nel
12. Dominic Malgas
11. Siya Ndlozi
10. Vusi Moyo
9. Ceano Everson
8. Wandile Mlaba
7. Batho Hlekani
6. Xola Nyali
5. Morne Venter
4. Riley Norton (captain)
3. Herman Lubbe
2. Juandre Schoeman
1. Simphiwe Ngobese

Replacements:

16. HB Odendaal
17. Oliver Reid
18. Jean Erasmus
19. Neil Hansen
20. Thando Biyela
21. Elrich Visser
22. Kyle Smith
23. Gino Cupido

Issued by SA Rugby Communications