Zandberg leads SA Schools
Outeniqua High School lock Eduard Zandberg will lead the SA Schools team in the final match of the SARU Under-18 International Series against England in Stellenbosch on Saturday.
The match will see the two remaining undefeated sides in the 2014 series face each other, while in other matches at Paul Roos Gymnasium’s Markötter Stadium, Italy will face a SARU Regional Academy XV and France will tussle with Wales.
SA Schools coach Hein Kriek and the national selectors made four changes to the side that overpowered Wales 40-15 at Outeniqua Park on Tuesday. Earlier in the series South Africa also beat France 28-13.
Zandberg will be the third SA Schools captain of the series, after Jaco Coetzee, and Barend Smit took charge of the team in Cape Town and George respectively.
For the England match, Eastern Province utility back Curwin Bosch will start at fullback after playing at flyhalf in the opening match, while his halfback partner against the French, Marco Janse van Vuuren, starts at scrumhalf.
In the pack, flank Junior Pokomela earns a first start after playing off the bench in George, while Jan-Henning Campher will start at hooker, as he did against France.
The SA Schools side did suffer some injuries, but according to Kriek, it was part of their broader planning.
“The idea was always to shuffle the team for the second match and then pick the best available team for England. We improved in each outing and we hope to be spot-on in our execution against a well-coached and very good England side,” Kriek said.
Charlie Beckett has been chosen to captain England. England's coach John Fletcher said of him: “Charlie is a natural leader, he is respected and will lead the side well.”
On the match Fletcher said: “We know what to expect – they'll be big, they'll be strong and they'll be direct. But we have our own game plan and we'll be looking to take the game to them, but we're under no illusions, it'll be a tough game. The mood in camp is good – we've had a good tour and the lads have been great.”
* The programme for the Saturday
12.00: Italy Under-19 vs SARU Regional Academy XV
14.00: France Under-18 vs Wales Under-18
16.00: SA Schools vs England Under-18
Teams
South African Schools: 15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Andell Loubser, 13 Heino Bezuidenhout, 12 JT Jackson, 11 Keanu Vers, 10 Thinus de Beer, 9 Marco Janse van Vuuren, 8 Edmund Rheeder, 7 Junior Pokomela, 6 Arnold Gerber, 5 Eduan Zandberg, 4 Aston Fortuin, 3 Sarel-Marco Smith, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Lupumlo Mguca
Replacements: 16 Le Roux Baard, 17 Ngonidzashe Chidoma, 18 Ig Prinsloo, 19 Kobus Wiese, 20 Victor Maruping, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Eduan Keyter, 23 Jerry Danquah
England Under-18: 15 Taylor Prell, 14 Kai Little, 13 Max Clark, 12 Harry Mallinder, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Rory Jennings, 9 Will Homer, 8 Lewis Ludlam, 7 Sam Underhil, 6 Charlie Beckett, 5 Joe Batley, 4 Kieran Treadwell, 3 Ciaran Parker, 2 Ollie Adams, 1 Lewis Boyce,
Replacements: 16 James Fish, 17 Owen Hills, 18 Seb Adeniran-Olule, 19 Joe Maksymiw, 20 George Nott, 21 Joe Marchant, 22 Ollie Thorley, 23 John Williams, 24 Cameron Cowell, 25 Theo Brophy Clews.
