New lock for Baby Boks
Free State Cheetahs lock Carl Wegner will join up with the SA Under-20 team in Treviso, Italy, ahead of the side’s IRB World Championships play-off clash with Ireland on Wednesday.
Wegner was called up to replace the 19-year-old Golden Lions lock Ruan Venter, who sustained an acute right knee injury during the Baby Boks’ 26-20 defeat against England in their third Pool C clash in Padova on Saturday.
The South African Rugby Union also confirmed that Western Province loose forward Siya Kolisi would be returning to South Africa with Venter on Thursday after he was called up by the Stormers for Super Rugby duty. Kolisi will not be replaced in the squad.
SA U20 coach Dawie Theron said: “Ruan’s injury has ruled him out for our last two IRB Junior World Championships matches, and with Siya being called up for Super Rugby duty, it made rugby sense to call up Carl Wegner who has been one of the standby players for this tournament.
“These movements have naturally had an effect on the selection of the team to play Ireland, but I am confident the players will want to rectify the wrongs of the England match tomorrow when we face Ireland,” he added.
Theron has made nine changes to his team that will face Ireland from the side that suffered the 26-20 defeat against England.
Blue Bulls fullback Ulrich Beyers returns to the starting XV, whilst Lions backline ace Jaco Taute shifts to outside centre and will partner Francois Venter as the team’s midfield combination. In a final change to the backline, Springbok Sevens wing Tshotsho Mbovane makes his second start of the tournament.
Jean Cook – who played in the Varsity Shield-winning CUT side – comes into the starting line-up in place of the injured Ruan Venter at lock, whilst captain Arno Botha teams up with Cornell du Preez and Francois Kleinhans as the loose trio unit for the Baby Boks. The impressive Nizaam Carr will warm the bench as the team’s loose forward reserve.
There is also a new front row selected for the Ireland clash with hooker Michael van Vuuren joining props Stephan Kotze and Nic Schonert up front.
South Africa U20: 15 Ulrich Beyers, 14 Tshotsho Mbovane, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Wandile Mjekevu, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Pieter Rademan, 8 Arno Botha (captain), 7 Cornell du Preez, 6 Francois Kleinhans, 5 Eben Etzebeth, 4 Jean Cook, 3 Nic Schonert, 2 Michael van Vuuren, 1 Stephan Kotze.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 John Roy Jenkinson, 18 Carl Wegner, 19 Nizaam Carr, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 John Welthagen, 22 Paul Jordaan.
Date: Wednesday, June 22
Venue: Stadio Plebiscito, Treviso
Kick-off: 18.10 GMT
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Mathieu Raynal (France), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
