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Dit is min dat twee rugbyspanne gelykop speel en albei se afrigters nie te ontevrede met hul spanne se vertonings is nie. Die Hoërskool Garsfontein en Boland Landbou het met 15-elk gelykop gespeel in die hoofwedstryd van die vierde jaarlikse Afgri Prestige Rugbydag op Loftus Versfeld. 

Al die wedstryde in die stadion is regstreeks deur DigiTV.co.za gebeeldsend. Geen stelskoppe is in die wedstryde van 50 minute waargeneem nie. 

Garsfontein se heelagter, Zeilinga Strydom, het ‘n droom buiging vir sy nuwe skool beleef. Hy het twee keer ‘n draai agter die doellyn gemaak, waarvan die tweede drie ‘n juweel was.

Strydom het met die perfekte hardlooplyn ongeveer op die halflyn by die agterhoede aansluiting gevind en sy vaart was genoeg om hom in die regterkantse hoek te sien oorduik. 

Garsies se agtsteman, Hardus Rothman, het ook ‘n barshou gespeel. Die span se vaskopstut, Gerhard van der Merwe, het in die skrums sowel as in die vastelos skitterend vertoon. Garsies het in die skrums die oorhand gehad. 

Die Garsie Bere se binnesenter, AJ Johnson, moes reeds in die eerste minuut van die kragmeting weens ‘n besering die veld verlaat. Hy behoort egter weer sy plek in die middelveld Saterdag teen Kempton Park in te neem. 

Boland Landbou se twee flanke, Reinhardt Spies (kaptein) en Jacques Mostert, is albei ysters. Albei spanne het nie ‘n tree vir mekaar in die fisieke aspekte van die spel terug gestaan nie. Die duo saam met die slotte, Conrad Petersen en Marco de Witt, was veral vir hul span goud werd in die afdeling. 

Garsies se SA Skole-skrumskakel, Jurich Claassens, asook die vleuel Geraldo Flusk kan ook meer as tevrede met hul vertonings voel. Vir die span van die Agter-Paarl het Boeta Moolman (heelagter) en Tarique Petersen (vleuel) ook blink vertoon. 

Puntemakers: 

Hoërskool Garsfontein 15 (10) – Drieë: Zeilinga Strydom (2), Hardus Rothmann. Boland Landbou 15 (5) – Drieë: Marco de Witt, Corné Grobbelaar, Tauriq Pietersen. 

Hoërskool Sentraal 30 (25) – Drieë: Janko Kachelhoffer (2), Pietman Oosthuizen, Frans Erasmus, Francois du Plessis. Ben Viljoen 5 (0) – Drie: Nikus Lourens. 

Al die uitslae: 

Garsfontein	15	Boland Landbou	15	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6755/Vod
Affies	30	HTS Middelburg	5	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6754/Vod
Menlopark	30	Voortrekker (Bethlehem)	5	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6753/Vod
Welkom Gimnasium	20	Oos-Moot	15	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6752/Vod
Jeppe High School for Boys’	20	Kempton Park	15	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6751/Vod
Waterkloof	30	Ben Vorster	15	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/7692/Vod
EG Jansen	35	Diamantveld	10	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6749/Vod
HTS Drostdy	15	Montana	10	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6748/Vod
Frikkie Meyer	25	Pretoria Boys’ High	10	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6747/Vod
Duineveld	30	Zwartkop	10	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6746/Vod
Monument	60	Goudveld-Hoërskool	0	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6745/Vod
Noordheuwel	45	Zayo Academy	10	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6715/Vod
St Alban’s College	20	Potchefstroom Gimnasium	15	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6714/Vod
Witteberg	35	Curro Heuwelkruin	10	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6713/Vod
Hoërskool Sentraal	30	Ben Viljoen	5	https://digitv.co.za/#/video/6712/Vod
Hoërskool Klerksdorp	5	Overkruin	5	Not Streamed

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Daar is niks kleins aan vanjaar se Afgri Prestige Rugbydag nie.  

Nie minder as 32 skole se eerstespanne van regoor Suid-Afrika sal Dinsdag op die dag in aksie wees nie. Al die wedstryde in die stadion sal ook vir die eerste keer regstreeks gebeeldsend word. Dit word op DigiTV.co.za uitgesaai. 

Geen stelskoppe word in die wedstryde waargeneem nie. Die wedstryde sal dus ook nie in ag geneem word vir School of Rugby se ranglys nie. 

In die hoofwedstryd van die dag tussen die Hoërskool Garsfontein en Boland Landbou sal daar geen genade deur die twee spanne aan mekaar betoon word nie. Garsfontein het die laaste twee kragmetings tussen die skole gewen. 

Albei die nederlae sal nog vars in die geheue van die span van die Agter-Paarl se breiers, Oloff Bergh en Deon Carstens, wees. Garsies het verlede jaar op Boland Landbou se jaarlikse sportdag met 24-20 as oorwinnaars van die veld gestap. 

In 2017 was Garsies in ‘n opwindende wedstryd met 43-41 baas na ‘n reuse terugvegpoging tydens die Noord/Suid-toernooi. Boland Landbou sal wel goeie herhinneringe van Loftus Versfeld koester na hulle verlede jaar vir Menlopark met 45-10 in die hoofwedstryd van die dag gekarnuffel. 

Hoërskool Waterkloof se hoof Chris Denyscchen sal so ietwat tussen twee vure wees wanneer die Klofies teen Ben Vorster van Tzaneen op die veld draf. Denyscchen was verlede jaar nog Ben Vorster se skoolhoof. 

Waterkloof is Saterdag as kampioen van die Titans-streek vir Coca-Cola se nasionale T20-krieketreeks gekroon. Die Klofies moes Saterdag eers in die halfeindstryd teen die einste Ben Vorster sy staal toon voordat hy as kampioen gekroon kon word. 

Waterkloof het Saterdag in sy jaarlikse kragmeting teen Montana so ietwat gesweet om uiteindelik met 48-27 koning te kraai. Die Vossies het in sy eerste wedstryd van die seisoen vir Centurion met 33-25 verslaan. 

De Nyscchen sal wel weer bekommerd oor sy nuwe skool se kanse in die rugbywedstryd as Saterdag se krieketwedstryd wees. Die Vossies sal wel sonder sy buitesenter, Christiaan Smit, moet klaarkom. Smit sal indien hy van sy besering herstel later vandeesmaand Suid-Afrika se o.18-span op ‘n toernooi in Windhoek verteenwoordig. 

Vir die tweede keer in die kort geskiedenis van die rugbydag sal daar ‘n struweling tussen die Dames-broers wees. Die kragmeting tussen EG Jansen en Diamantveld behoort boonop ‘n uiters fisieke kragmeting wees.

Die voormalige SA Skole-skrumskakel, Rudi Dames, is die nuwe hoof van rugby by EG Jansen, terwyl sy broer Jaco Dames aan stuur van Diamonds se rugbysake staan. Die twee het mekaar ook twee jaar gelede gepak toe Rudi nog Pretoria Boys’ High se hoof van rugby was. 

Al die bepalings: 

Loftus Versfeld 

07:45	Sentraal	vs	Ben Viljoen
08:40	Curro Heuwelkruin	vs	Witteberg
09:35	St Alban’s College	vs	Potchefstroom Gimnasium
10:30	Noordheuwel	vs	Zayo Academy
11:25	Monument	vs	Goudveld-Hoërskool
12:20	Zwartkop	vs	Duineveld
13:15	Frikkie Meyer	vs	Pretoria Boys’ High
14:10	Montana	vs	HTS Drostdy
15:05	EG Jansen	vs	Diamantveld
16:00	Waterkloof	vs	Ben Vorster
16:55	Kempton Park	vs	Jeppe High School for Boys’
17:50	Oos-Moot	vs	Welkom Gimnasium
18:45	Menlopark	vs	Voortrekker (Bethlehem)
19:40	Affies	vs	HTS Middelburg
20:35	Garsfontein	vs	Boland Landbou

 Never miss a moment on DigiTV.co.za 

B-veld

17:20	Overkruin	vs	Klerksdorp

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Hoërskool Waterkloof continued their good run in the Coca-Cola® Schools T20 Challenge by winning the Multiply Titans franchise final at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on the 2nd March. They will once again represent the Titans in the National Finals that they won in 2011. The schools that took part in the Franchise final were Northerns: Hoërskool Waterkloof, Mpumalanga: Cambridge Academy, Limpopo: Hoërskool Ben Vorster and Easterns: Hoërskool Marais Viljoen.

Cambridge Academy from Witbank won the toss and sent Hoërskool Waterkloof into bat in the final. Waterkloof got off to a magnificent start and batted at over 10 runs an over throughout their innings. Jordan Herman with 73 and S Kemp with 48 runs got the team to a mammoth 212/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Ricus Kram was the pick of the bowlers with 2/39.

Cambridge’s run chase did not start well as they lost wickets very quickly up front. Wesley Vayani and Stefan Leemans tried to recover the innings and when Wesley went out Rocco Gomes continued the recovery with Leemans. In the end, Cambridge fell short by scoring only 90 all out with Leemans being the top batsman with 35 runs. Hoërskool Waterkloof won by 122 runs.

Waterkloof captain Jordan Hermann said: “Coca-Cola Schools T20 is a great tournament that allows us to play against schools that we don’t normally get a chance to play against and to play on larger fields so we can work on other parts to our game.” He concluded: “Today we upped our game and focused on starting slowly and building an innings. That is where we have improved the most since the Northerns Provincial Final.”

All is not lost for two of the Cambridge players, as they have been picked for the Coca-Cola® All-Star team that will take part in the National Finals. Wali Vayani was picked for his match=winning 59* in the semi-finals and Zuan Swart was picked as a leg spinner by Proteas legend Paul Harris.

Vuyani said: “To make the Coca-Cola® All-Star team is a good opportunity for me to play with players that I normally don’t have a chance to play with. I can measure myself to see how I perform compared to players from the rest of the country.” Zuan Swart also shared his thoughts: “I think that I will have a good opportunity to improve my game by playing with other players from the Coca-Cola® All-Star team.”

Paul Harris commented on what he witnessed at the finals and the two players that he chose for the Coca-Cola® All-Star team. “I was impressed by the performance of all the teams today. Waterkloof have shown that they are going to be a force at the Coca-Cola® T20 Challenge National Finals. The teams are proving to want to be the best in the country.”

The Coca-Cola® All-Star team will get to meet the other qualifying teams, have coaching sessions with Paul Harris and play against a Cricket South Africa hubs selection side as a curtain-raiser to the final of the Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge.

Hoërskool Waterkloof will represent the Titans and they will join the other five franchises winners and the two schools that qualified through the CSA Focus School programme at the competition’s National Finals at the University of Pretoria from the 15th to 17th March. The eventual winners stand to walk off with R110 000 for their school.

Results

Semi-Finals

Marais Viljoen 124 all out (Henko Black 30, Jason van Dyk 28, Uzar Vayani 3/24, Zuan Swart 2/18) vs Cambridge 126/6 (Wali Vayani 59, Henko Black 2/24)

Cambridge won by 4 wickets

Waterkloof 187/9 (Jordan Hermann 55, Wehan van Rooyen 29, Ernst van der Schyff 3/28) vs Ben Vorster 89/9 (Cobus Geldenhuys 32, Hardus Coetzer 3/8, Om Thakar 3/17)

Waterkloof won by 98 runs

Final

Waterkloof 212/5 (Jordan Hermann 73, SW Kemp 48) vs Cambridge 90 all out (Stefan Leemans 35, Simeon de Bruyn 3/9, Adi Mosehla 3/13)

Waterkloof won by 122 runs

One of the longest-running sponsorships in South African sport came to an end last year.

The biggest annual school rugby tournament in the world the Craven Week is without a sponsor after Coca-Cola and Saru decided not to renew their long-standing relationship after 35 years. 

The cancellation of the sponsorship was confirmed by the chairman of the South African Schools’ committee, Noel Ingle.  

Coca-Cola’s sponsorship included the other youth weeks of Saru as well as being the main sponsor of the South African Schools’ side the last couple of years. Apparently Saru also didn’t renew the contract with the beverage company as the supplier of soft drinks in SuperRugby. 

Coca-Cola first sponsored the Craven Week back in 1984 in Bloemfontein. The sponsorship was a couple of million rands per year. Before 1984 the festival of rugby was sponsored by Toyota for a couple of years. 

The tournament was broadcasted by SuperSport each year and Coca-Cola as one of the biggest brands in the world was surely not unhappy about the exposure they’ve received through the partnership. According to sources Saru wanted to increase the sponsorship package by more than the annual increase of about 10%. 

According to sources Saru is still searching for a replacement title sponsor for this year’s Craven Week that will be hosted at Grey College in Bloemfontein. Saru also shared the terrible news last week that the Springbok Experience at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town will close down.  

The longest sponsorship of sport in South Africa is Coca Cola’s of the annual Khaya Majola cricket week. Last year’s tournament in Cape Town was the 40th anniversary of this partnership between Cricket South Africa and Coca-Cola. The cricket week was known as the Nuffield Week when the sponsorship started and is known in cricketing circles as the Coke Week. 

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Dit was nou wel nie ‘n sege in ‘n eindstryd nie, maar Goudveld-Hoërskool se oorwinning van 21-12 oor die Hoërskool Diamantveld tydens Fichardtpark se jaarlikse sportdag in Bloemfontein moes amper net so soet vir die span van Welkom gewees het. 

Die kragmeting was die eerste wedstryd in vanjaar se Wesgrow-reeks en dit was toevallig ook tussen die twee spanne wat mekaar verlede jaar in die eindstryd gepak het.

Diamantveld is verlede jaar na sy sege van 29-16 as eerste kampioen van die reeks gekroon. Diamonds het ook Saterdag ongetwyfeld as die gunsteling op die veld gedraf. 

Gouties het egter ander planne vir die span vanuit Kimberley gehad. Goudveld se pak voorspelers het voorlangs nie ‘n tree vir hul teenstanders terug gestaan nie. Veral die agtsteman, Jubaren Adriaan, het sy fisieke teenwoordigheid laat geld.

Die slot Heinricht Cloete het ook die veld vol gespeel. Hy het ‘n pragdrie afgerond na hy ‘n losbal ongeveer vyf meter van sy span se doellyn af deurgeskop het.

Hy het deurgans in die jaagtog kop gehou en soos ‘n vernuftige sokkerspeler die bal met die voet beheer totdat die tyd reg was om die bal onder die arm vas te knyp en oor te duik. Dié lopie van ongeveer 95 meter het die wind uit Diamonds se seile geneem. 

Diamantveld het meer as genoeg geleenthede geskep om punte aan te teken. Dit was meer ‘n geval dat die span se afronding gelol het. ‘n Hele paar keer het die laaste aangee of oorgretigheid die span van punte beroof. 

Die span van Kimberley se agterlyn het ook nie baie skoon balbesit in die eerste helfte geniet nie. In die tweede helfte was die besit ‘n tikkie skoner. Die plaasvervanger-skrumskakel, D Beukes, het kleinkantjie toe gebreek en sy eie steekskoppie opgevolg wat op die agtsteman, Stefan Swart, se drie uitgeloop het. 

Dit was ‘n welverdiende drie vir Swart wat nooit bes in die stryd gegee het nie. Gouties se senter Dylan Smith kan ook meer as tevrede met sy vertoning voel. 

In die “Boereoorlog” het Landboudal van Jacobsdal oor te veel skietgoed vir St Andrews van Bloemfontein beskik. Lanties het met 46-10 as oorwinnaars van die veld gestap. 

Dit was ‘n uiters fisieke stryd waarin albei spanne nie vir ‘n oomblik terug gestaan het nie. Landboudal het vanwee sy swaarder agttal in die tweede helfte al hoe meer daarin geslaag om oor die voordeellyn te kom. Die wenspan kon teen rustyd slegs ‘n voorsprong van 17-10 opbou. 

Saints moes sonder ‘n aantal spelers klaarkom wat nog die skool op die krieketveld moet verteenwoordig. St Andrews hoop om sy titel later vandeesmaand in Pretoria tydens die nasionale T20-toernooi te verdedig. 

Landoudal se buitesenter, Elwid Kruger, het ‘n driekuns aan drieë in sy span se sege behaal. Al Saints se punte is deur sy binnesenter, Josh McKenzie, aangeteken. As Landboudal ontevrede oor iets in die kragmeting sal wees, sal dit sy stelskopwerk pale toe wees. Die wenspan kon slegs daarin slaag om drie van sy agt drieë te verdoel.

Photo: Lorraine Eloff 

Puntemakers: 

Goudveld-Hoërskool 21 (14) – Drieë: Marco Weideman, Dylan Smith, Heinricht Cloete. Doelskoppe: JC Allan (2), Smith. Diamantveld 12 (0) – Drieë: Stefan Swart, Hugh Murray. Doelskop: Morné Matthewson. 

Landboudal 46 (17) – Drieë: Elwid Kruger (3), Jan Hendrik Esterhuizen, Pieter Grobbelaar, Duan Slingerland, Hannes Marais en Pierre Malan. Doelskoppe: Pieter Grobbelaar (2), Damien Erasmus. St Andrews 10 (10) – Drie: Josh McKenzie. Doelskop: McKenzie. Strafdoel: McKenzie.

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Dit is nie aldag dat ‘n vaskopstut drie keer in ‘n wedstryd ‘n draai agter die doellyn maak nie. Die Hoërskool Fichardtpark se woelige voorryman, Janco van Zyl, het egter daarin geslaag om reeds in die eerste helfte van sy span se sege van 36-12 oor die Afrikaanse Hoërskool Kroonstad ‘n driekuns agter sy naam te skryf. 

Fichies het vir die tweede jaar in ‘n ry daarin geslaag om Rooiskool in die hoofwedstryd van sy jaarlikse McDonalds Sportdag in Bloemfontein met die kous oor die kop huis toe te stuur. Dit was ook die span van die Rosestad se grootste sege ooit oor die Rooiskool. 

Hoewel Fichardtpark se breier Dirkie Groenewald steeds diep in volgende week ‘n breë glimlag vanwee die sege behoort te dra sal hy wel nie heeltemal tevrede met sy span se insinking in die tweede helfte wees nie. Fichies het rustyd reeds ‘n voorsprong van 36-0 geniet. Die feit dat die gasheer nie ‘n enkele punt in die tweede helfte kon aanteken nie neem egter niks van dié sege weg nie. 

Rooiskool se breiers, Morné Kymdell en Francois Stemmet, moes rustyd hard met hul span gepraat het. Die span van Kroonstad het waarskynlik een van sy swakste vertonings ooit in die geskiedenis van die skool in die eerste helfte gelewer. Die span het egter die tweede helfte met meer durf aangepak om bietjie aansien te herwin. 

Veral die Rooies se slot Jamie van Wyk en flank Franna van Niekerk het in die tweede helfte hul lywe op die spel geplaas om te sorg dat die agterhoede meer balbesit op die voorvoet geniet. 

Fichies se buitesenter, Reagan Maartens, het amper na willekeur gapings in Rooiskool se verdediging gevind. Hy het die besoekers se verdediging hoofbrekens besorg. Die losskakel, Davin Groenewald, kan ook tevrede met sy vertoning voel. Hy het sy agterlyn seepglad weggesit en spel goed dikteer. 

Voorlangs het behalwe Van Zyl met sy inklimspel in die vastelos ook die flank Jeff Parota en slot JJ Coetzer goed vertoon. 

Wilgerivier van Frankfort se agtsteman, MT Steyn, was sy span se groot uitblinker is sy oorwinning van 26-14 oor Sand du Plessis.

Die Wilgies het rustyd ‘n voorsprong van 14-0 geniet na Steyn twee keer oor die doellyn gebars het. En ja Steyn is ‘n nasaat van die Vrystaat se eerste president, MT Steyn. 

Sannies het goeie veggees getoon en amper vroeg in die tweede helfte terug geslaan toe sy buitesenter, Giovanni Prins, deurgedraf het. Daar is egter voor hy die doellyn oorkruis het uitgetrap.

Die plaasvervanger-skrumskakel, Shane Nienaber, het kort daarna wel daarin geslaag om sy span se rekening te open. 

Puntemakers: 

Fichardtpark 36 (36) – Drieë: Janco van Zyl (3), Lowhann van Wyk, Davin Groenewald, JT van der Walt. Doelskoppe: Groenewald (3). AHS Kroonstad 12 (0) – Drieë: Zander Pelser, Hendro Hattingh. Doelskop: Zander Smith. 

Wilgerivier 26 (14) – Drieë: MT Steyn (2), Edward van Blerk, AJ Mostert. Doelskoppe: JP Meyer (3). Sand du Plessis 14 (0) – Drieë: Shane Nienaber, Nathan Labuschagne. Doelskoppe: Tommie Bloem (2). 

Photos: Kulu Ferreira

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The biggest annual school sports day, the Fichardtpark Sports Day, saw the hosts ease past the Afrikaanse Hoërskool Kroonstad by 36-12 in the main match.

Goudveld surprised Diamantveld by 21-12 in the main curtain-raiser which also doubled up as the opening match of this year’s Wesgrow Series. 

Diamonds are the defending champions of the series and the match was a rematch of last year’s final of the competition.

Boland Landbou came out on top in the main match of their annual rugby day by 48-15 against Bellville. Stellenberg won a closely contested match between them and HTS Drostdy by 13-7. 

All the results: 

FICHARDTPARK SPORTS DAY 

 

 

Fichardtpark	36	AHS Kroonstad	12
Goudveld	21	Diamantveld	12
Welkom Gimnasium	43	Sentraal	8
Noord-Kaap	36	Louis Botha	14
Jim Fouche	24	Potchefstroom Volkskool	7
Landboudal	46	St Andrews	10
Wilgerivier	26	Sand du Plessis	14
Riebeeckstad	64	Hendrik Potgieter	0

VRIENDSKAPLIK 

 

 

Grey College	60	Duiineveld	21
Helpmekaar	38	Voortrekker (Bethlehem)	15
Ermelo	27	Witteberg	14
Boland Landbou	48	Bellville	15
Waterkloof	48	Montana	27
Stellenberg	13	HTS Drostdy	7
Ben Vorster	33	Centurion	25
HTS Middelburg	47	Hoërskool Rustenburg	30
Cherries	63	Hoërskool Upington	5
Oos-Moot	49	Ellisras	19
Jeugland	47	Driehoek	10
Hoërskool Klerksdorp	38	Die Anker	10
Louis Trichardt	31	Eric Louw	17
Lydenburg	35	Ben Viljoen	12
Bothaville	33	Kalahari	7
HTS Sasolburg	27	CBC Boksburg	5
Nico Malan	44	Punt	19
Hans Strijdom	26	HTS John Vorster	20

NWU-PUKKE PRESTIGE

 

 

Middelburg	37	Wesvalia	20
Oosterlig	25	HTS Witbank	22
Lichtenburg	41	Hugenote	34
Heidelberg Volkskool	37	Marais Viljoen	19

NWU-PUKKE SPORT SERIES 

 

 

Hoërskool Alberton	38	Hoërskool Brits	12
Florida	46	Standerton	17
Hans Moore	17	Hartbeespoort	10
Hoogenhout	18	Birchleigh	15
Secunda	37	Linden	10
Goudrif	28	Voortrekker (Boksburg)	8
President	43	AHS Sasolburg	0

NWU-PUKKE 16 SERIES

 

Fochville	46	Schoonspruit	22
Vryburg	25	Wolmaransstad	17
Leeuwenhof	29	Riebeeckrand	19
Bekker	27	Overvaal	22
Piet Retief	42	Volksrust	6
Pretoria-Noord	47	Oosterland	22
Stoffberg	46	Delmas	18

Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux is expecting a challenging World Rugby U20 Championship campaign in Argentina after the SA Under-20s were drawn in Pool C with New Zealand, Scotland and Georgia for the international showpiece, which takes place from 4 to 22 June.

The SA U20s will be based in Rosario and kick off their campaign on against Scotland on Tuesday, 4 June, before taking on Georgia (Saturday, 8 June) and New Zealand (Wednesday, 12 June) in the pool stages. The semi-finals will be contested on Monday, 17 June, and the final on Saturday, 22 June.

World Rugby announced the fixtures on Thursday. Australia will meet Italy in the opening match of the tournament on Tuesday 4 June, in Sante Fe, where six-times champions, New Zealand, will meet Georgia, and England take on Ireland.

Argentina, the hosts in 2019, will meet Wales, while defending champions, France, will face newly promoted, Fiji, in the two other matches scheduled for Rosario.

“New Zealand, Georgia and Scotland are all quality teams, so we are expecting another testing campaign,” said Roux.

“We defeated New Zealand in the bronze playoff in the south of France last year, so they will be charged up against us.

“Georgia are a very physical and passionate team, with a strong scrum and big forwards, while Scotland also pride themselves on their physicality. After having faced Scotland last year on our warm-up tour, they will also be determined to make a strong statement against us.”

Roux added: “Argentina has a rich culture and a deep passion for rugby, and it will be exciting for the players to experience that first hand. It is going to be a tough tournament, but we are very excited.”

World Rugby Vice-Chairman and Rugby Americas President Agustín Pichot said: “The U20 Championship has proven itself to be a very important competition for the uncovering and development of the future stars of our game and attracting new, young fans to the sport.

“The 2018 edition of the U20 Championship in France was an outstanding success and it is a great honour for Argentina to take the pass and host this prestigious competition.

“The 12 participating nations will experience a warm Argentinian welcome and we look forward to an excellent tournament with enthusiastic fans and spectacular action on the field of play.”

Junior Springbok World Rugby U20 Championship pool fixtures (SA kick-off times):

Tuesday, 4 June (15h30): SA v Scotland (Racecourse Stadium, Rosario)

Saturday, 8 June (15h30): SA v Georgia (Racecourse Stadium, Rosario)

Wednesday, 12 June (20h30): SA v New Zealand (Racecourse Stadium, Rosario)

Issued by SA Rugby Communications