The scary stats for Junior Boks' opponents in 2027
It is not just at senior level where South Africa’s national teams are building some terrifying depth.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus fielded three vastly different teams during the inaugural Nations Championship in July.
Junior Bok coach Kevin Foote did something similar during the build-up to a just-completed victorious World Rugby Under-20 Championship campaign in Georgia.
If pundits are starry-eyed by the quality and depth of talent at national senior level, the junior rivals of the SA U20 team may have nightmares if they realise what is coming next year.
Another amazing fact is that both the senior and junior teams will be attempting an unprecedented three-peat of world titles.
As many as 27 players who featured at various competitions in 2026 may be part of the returning Under-20 contingent next year.
This collection is headlined by the standout centre combination of Markus Muller and Ethan Adams.
No.8 Wasi Vyambwera, who, like Adams and Muller, started in the 16-5 demolition of France in the World Rugby U20 Final in Georgia this past weekend, will also be back in 2027.
Prop Luan van der Berg, flank Gert Kemp, utility forward Jaythen Orange and back Jayden Brits, who all featured off the bench in the Final, will also be available when the Junior Boks go for a three-peat.
Jordan Jooste (prop), Laun Van Der Berg (prop) and Jaythen Orange (utility forward) may not have played in the Final, but they were part of the squad in Georgia and are still age-qualified for 2027.
South Africa have now won their last 11 games in the tournament, and it was the first time since 2019 that they have claimed victory over France, who are still seeking their first win in the final since they saw off Ireland in South Africa three years ago.
(WATCH as Jan de Koning chats to victorious SA U20 coach Kevin Foote about what the future holds for his young team…..)
SA Under-20 coach Kevin Foote said the players will all return to their unions and franchises to play in the domestic U20 competition and some will get game time for the senior teams in the Currie Cup.
However, it is not just the seven who featured in the Final; another 19 or 20 players who played for the national age-group team at various stages this year will be back next year.
“Guys like [centre] Christian Vorster, [loose forward] Quintin Potgieter, [hooker] Altus Rabe and [lock] AJ Meyer will be back playing with us again,” Foote said of players who were not in Georgia.
“There are lots of guys who have been in the system and attended our camps who will come back to us,” he added.
The ‘continuity’ the Junior Boks will gain from this is “massive”.
“Just the experience of being at the World Cup and playing on a five-day turnaround, being in that pressure and seeing the physicality will be excellent for our players.
“They will go in there with their eyes wide open.
“We also have a nice leadership group that will be with us again, and that will be very important,” the coach added.
Foote said they are in the business of ‘creating Springboks’ for the national senior team.
“Luckily we had a TRC [the U20 Rugby Championship], a TRC ‘A’ and our trip to George [at the beginning of the year.
“We had already started building depth in certain positions.
“Creating depth and making sure we have a great system is important for us.”
@JanDKrugby
@rugby365com
