Maties stars added to SA squad
Varsity Cup winners, flanker Sam Mabombo and winger Tythan Adams, have been drafted in to the SA Under-20 training squad that will participate in a seven-day pre-World Championship camp in Saldanha from next Thursday.
The 26-man squad that will participate in the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina in June later this year will be announced at the conclusion of this camp.
Victorious FNB Maties head coach Chean Roux was especially pleased for Mabombo (pictured) “who has really put his hand up this season”.
“He’s a young man, but a humble young man who deserves to be in the SA Under-20 squad after working very, very hard this season,” Roux told varsitycup.co.za.
“It’s pleasing, as a coach, to see the likes of Sam and Tythan take the next step. It makes me tick as a coach… and drives me to keep improving myself and, thereby, my players too.”
Aside from the inclusion of Maties stars Mabombo and Adams – both of whom played in Monday’s 17-14 Varsity Cup Final win over UCT – prop Marcel van der Merwe (Shimlas), flyhalf Francois du Toit (Shimlas) and utility back Jaco Taute (UJ) will also be looking to press for inclusion in the final SA Under-20 playing group.
Sampie Mastriet and Branco du Preez, who were part of the Springbok Sevens’ recent IRB World Series tournaments in Adelaide and Hong Kong, have also been named in the 38-man squad, along with Wandile Mjekevu (Lions) and Patrick Lambie (Sharks) – both of whom have had outstanding Super 14 campaigns.
Former KES schoolboy Mjekevu, of course, is a law student at the University of Johannesburg – but was not available for the Varsity Cup because of Super 14 commitments.
“We are now entering the final stages of our preparations for the forthcoming Under-20 World Championships,” explained SA U20 coach Eric Sauls.
“We are where we want to be in terms of exposing our players to international opposition as many of the guys that will join us next week have either played in the international friendlies against Argentina or were part of our tour to France in February.
“These players will not participate in any matches during this camp, but the coaches will use this opportunity to fine tune our game structures to ensure that all players that could possibly make the Argentinean trip in June are on the same page.”
The SA Under-20 training squad: Tythan Adams, Garth April, Mlungisi Bali, Brummer Badenhorst, Clayton Blommetjies, Ruan Combrinck, Sebastian de Chaves, Ruan Dreyer, Branco du Preez, Christiaan du Rand, Francois du Toit, Divan Ferguson, Monde Hadebe, Adri Jacobs, Elton Jantjies, Patrick Lambie, Helmut Lehmann, Peet Marais, Sampie Mastriet, Sam Mabombo, Wandile Mjekevu, Lubabalo Mtembu, Frederick Muller, Sinovuyo Nyoko, Kenechukwu Okafor, Jono Ross, Nico Scheepers, Louis Schreuder, Lean Schwartz, Sibusiso Sithole, Christiaan Stander, Jaco Taute, Shaun Malton, Gary van Aswegen, Marcel van der Merwe, Hendrik van der Waldt, Francois Venter, Anthony Volmink.
