Nine Western Province laaities have been included in 31-player Junior Springbok squad for the inaugural U20 Rugby Championship Down Under next month.
Prop Zachary Porthen, hooker CJ Erasmus, lock Adam de Waal, loose-forward Divan Fuller, scrumhalf Asad Moos, centres Bruce Sherwood and Joshua Boulle, as well as outside backs JC Mars and Joel Leotlela have all cracked the nod for the tournament.
Head coach Bafana Nhleko has included five members of last year’s World Rugby U20 Championship squad for the Sanzaar competition, which features the up-and-coming players from South Africa, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia, and will be staged in Queensland, Australia.
Porthen, lock JF van Heerden, Moos and centres Jurenzo Julius and Litelihle Bester represented SA during the U20 Championship innie Kaap in 2023, where the span finished third.
Nhleko says: “The three matches will be a good test of our group’s character and skill set.
“The players have responded well during the camps, it is now about executing and learning in a Test-match pressure environment.”
Junior Springbok squad:
- Props: Casper Badenhorst, Liyema Ntshanga, Mbasa Maqubela, Reno Hirst, Ruan Swart, Zachary Porthen.
- Hookers: CJ Erasmus, Ethan Bester, Juan Smal.
- Locks: Adam de Waal, JF van Heerden, Thomas Dyer.
- Loose-forwards: Bathobele Hlekani, Divan Fuller, Keanu Coetsee, Sibabalwe Mahashe, Thabang Mphafi, Tiaan Jacobs.
- Scrumhalves: Asad Moos, Ezekiel Ngubane, Hassiem Pead.
- Flyhalves: Thurlon Williams, Tylor Sefoor.
- Centres: Bruce Sherwood, Joshua Boulle, Jurenzo Julius, Litelihle Bester, Philip-Albert van Niekerk.
- Outside backs: JC Mars, Joel Leotlela, Michail Damon.