South African U19 chosen

South Africa announced its Under-19 team for the International Rugby Board’s Under-19 World Championships to be held in Belfast in April.

The Champions ship will take place on 4-30 April 2007.

South Africa won the championship in 1994, 2003 and 2005 but last year fared badly and ended 8th.

Significantly after the roasting SARU received for its lack of transformation by a parliamentary subcommittee, it announces that “The squad of 26 boasts 12 players of colour”.

Johan Prinsloo, the CEO of SARU, said: “This squad is the result of an extensive and well managed identification and preparation process. I am confident that they will perform with distinction at international level.

“SARU is determined to raise its efforts and capacity to monitor the career development of South African Under-19 players, so that we can increase the flow of broad-based youth talent into our provincial structure and ultimately our South African Sevens and Springbok teams.”

There are no players from Mpumalanga, Griffons, Valke, Griqualand West, Boland, Border and Eastern Province and only one from South Western Districts. Some are migrants to bigger provinces – Bernardo Botha who went from South Western Districts to Florida and has stayed with the Golden Lions, Wiehan Herbst and Thiliphaut Marole have gone from the Leopards to KwaZulu Natal, Mlindazwe Nqoro has also gone from Border to KwaZulu Natal, Wilton Pietersen from South Western Districts to Free State and Marlin Ruiters from Eastern Province to Free State. The rich get richer!

Several played SA Schools – Henri Bantjes, Berend Botha, Corne Fourie, Frik Kirsten, Aubrey McDonald, Thiliphaut Marole, Mlindazwe Nqoro, Wilton Pietersen, Marlin Ruiters, Johan van Deventer, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Pieter Janse van Vuuren and Stefan Watermeyer.

An interesting inclusion is that of Francois Hougaard. Last year he was a shock exclusion from the Western Province Craven Week side. Now he has been chosen for the SA Under-19 side ahead of both scrumhalves chosen ahead of him last year.

The selection process started in September 2006 and there will be warm-up matches before the team leaves on 29 March 2007.

In its pool matches South Africa plays against Fiji, France and Ireland.

The squad: Henri Bantjes (Blue Bulls), Berend Botha (Leopards), Bernado Botha (Golden Lions), Francois Brummer (Blue Bulls), Corne Fourie (Blue Bulls), Yaasir Hartzenburg (Western Province), Wiehan Herbst (KwaZulu Natal), Cornell Hess (Blue Bulls), Francois Hougaard (Western Province), Frederick Kirsten (Blue Bulls), Divan Kotze(Blue Bulls), Aubrey McDonald (Blue Bulls), Thiliphaut Marole (Kwazulu Natal), Martin Muller (Western Province), Tshepo Masunga (Golden Lions), Sobelo Nhlapo (Kwazulu Natal), Mlindazwe Nqoro (KwaZulu Natal), Wilton Pietersen (Free State), Jean Jacques Rossouw (Western Province), Marlin Ruiters (Free State), Earl-Jivan Snyman (South Western Districts), Johan van Deventer (Golden Lions), Gerriit Jan van Velze (Blue Bulls), PieterJanse van Vuuren (Free State), Stefan Watermeyer (Blue Bulls), Vainon Willis (Blue Bulls)

Manager: Andre Eloff (Blue Bulls),
Coiaches; Eric Sauls (Griqualand West), Paul Anthiony (Bl;ue Bulls)