SA Under-19 for Tour to Georgia
In his preparation for Under-20 competition in 2020 in Italy, Chean Roux, coach of the South African Under-20 team, now called the Junior Springboks, has named an Under-19 squad of 30 players to tour Georgia in towards the end of this year.
The tour is scheduled for 27 November to 5 December 2019.
The tour, which will feature matches against the Georgia Under-19 team on Monday, 2 December, and Thursday, 5 December, will replace the Under-18 and Under-19 assessment camps usually hosted by the Junior Springbok coaching staff with an eye to the selection of the Junior Springbok squad for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship.
Roux said: “We decided to replace the Under-18 and Under-19 assessment camps with a combined SA Under-19 squad that will travel to Georgia and play two matches against their national side. So this will serve as a fantastic opportunity for these players to prove themselves at this level.
“This tour is essentially the springboard for our Junior Springbok programme for 2020.
“That said, there will be opportunities for players who are not in this group to stake a claim a claim for places in the Junior Springbok squad next year, and over and above this, we will once again host the SA Rugby Academy programme, so while this is a good opportunity for these players, they are by no means the only ones we are looking at.
“What is really nice about this tour is that it will expose the players to a higher level of rugby, so we can see if they are able to make their presence felt at this level, and we are pleased to see players from the Valke and Leopards, which are regarded as smaller unions, in the fold.”
The squad will gather at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport on Sunday, 24 November, to begin their preparations for the tour.
South Africa Under-19 Squad
Forwards: Adrian Alberts (lock, Golden Lions – Paarl Boys’ High), Jason Alexander (hooker, Western Province – Wynberg), Morné Brandon (hooker, Golden Lions – Monument), Werner Coetzee (lock, Sharks – Glenwood), Dewald Donald (prop, Blue Bulls – Affies), Siphekahle Dube (prop, Sharks – Maritzburg College), Werner Gouws (lock, Blue Bulls – Grey College), Celimpilo Gumede (loose forward, Sharks – DHS), Hanro Jacobs (prop, Sharks – Paul Roos), JJ Kotze (hooker, Western Province – Paul Roos), Thabiso Mdletshe (prop, Sharks – Glenwood), Benele Mthenjane (prop, Golden Lions – Nelspruit), Lunga Ncube (lock, Sharks – Glenwood), Thabo Ndimande (flank, Valke – Hans Moore), Evan Roos (loose forward, Sharks – Paarl Boys’ High), Sibusiso Sangweni (flank, Golden Lions – Kearsney), Emile van Heerden (lock, Sharks – Paarl Boys High)
Backs: Diego Appollis (centre, Blue Bulls – Garsfontein), Thomas Bursey (scrumhalf, Western Province – Selborne), Jaden Hendrikse (scrumhalf, Sharks – Glenwood), Stravino Jacobs (wing, Blue Bulls – Paarl Gim), Cohen Jasper (fullback, Free State – Drostdy), Rynhardt Jonker (centre, Sharks – Glenwood), Dawid Kellerman (centre, Blue Bulls – Paarl Gim), Muzi Manyike (centre, Golden Lions – Jeppe), Zwelendaba Mnombo (centre, Western Province – Selborne), Juan Mostert (flyhalf, Western Province – Paul Roos), Keenan Twigg (wing, Leopards – Potchefstroom Gimnasium), Bernard van der Linde (scrumhalf, Blue Bulls – Menlopark), Ethan Wentzel (flyhalf, Valke – Centurion)
*Rynhardt Jonker’s father is currently a TMO in Japan.
