Junior Springboks coach Dawie Theron on Thursday named a strong starting line-up for the South African Under 20 training squad’s match against the University of the Western Cape, to be played on Friday afternoon at the Markötter Sports Field in Stellenbosch.
The Junior Springboks are due to play three training matches over the next week.
The training camp that started last Sunday will end on Saturday next week with a match against University of Cape town, inbetween they will also have played a match against Maties on Wednesday.
The starting line-up for Friday includes 2012 Junior World Championship (JWC) winners Jan Serfontein (centre), Handré Pollard (flyhalf) and Marvin Orie (lock). The 1.98m lock forward Orie will captain the team, while playmaker Pollard was confirmed as his understudy.
According to Theron, players outside the current squad can still make it to France.
“We will be looking at the performances of players during the Vodacom Cup and Varsity Cup competitions and if someone performs impressively, then he will come into consideration. Raymond Rhule, for instance, forced his way into last year’s squad at a very late stage,” added Theron.
The match kicks off at 16:00 on Friday at the sports fields of the Paul Roos Gymnasium.
South African Under-20 training squad:
- 15 Cheslin Kolbe, WP)
- 14 Luther Obi, (Leopards)
- 13 Justin Gedult, (WP)
- 12 Jan Serfontein, (BB)
- 11 Seabelo Senatla, (FSC)
- 10 Handré Pollard, (BB)
- 9 Hanco Venter, (SHARKS)
- 8 Ruan Steenkamp, (BB)
- 7 Jacques du Plessis, (BB) Normally a lock
- 6 Albertus Smit, (LIONS)
- 5 Marvin Orie (captain), (BB)
- 4 Irne Herbst, (BB)
- 3 Luan de Bruin, (FSC)
- 2 Jacques du Toit, (FSC)
- 1 Sti Sithole. (WP)
All remaining squad players to be used as replacements.
- Fullbacks: Tim Swiel (DHL Western Province)
- Wings: Seabelo Senatla (Toyota Free State Cheetahs), Sylvian Mahuza (Leopards)
- Centres: Dries Swanepoel (Vodacom Blue Bulls),JP Lewis (DHL Western Province), Tyler Fisher (KZN)
- Flyhalves: Robert du Preez (KZN)
- Scrumhalves: Kirshwin Williams (MTN Golden Lions), Stefan Ungerer (KZN)
- Loose Forwards: Leneve Dames, Roelof Smit, (MTN Golden Lions), Jurie van Vuuren (DHL Western Province)
- Locks: Dennis Visser, (BB)
- Props: Justin Forwood, Andrew Beerwinkel, Neethling Fouchè (all Vodacom Blue Bulls), Marnè Coetzee (KZN),
- Hookers: Devon Martinus (MTN Golden Lions), Mornè du Plessis (KZN), Freddie Kirsten (DHL Western Province)
You guys think they will bring Pollard and Serfontein into the Bulls S15 mix after this or give them another year to gain a bit more senior rugby experience?
As for this team, looks a bit weaker than the monster team we had last year, still very good though
Go Bokke.
I think we may have to sub some of the WP players off the bench to give them that extra competitive edge though 😉
2 @ Stormersboy:
For now don’t think this squad is as good as last year. Could be wrong though.
I thought that Swiel played flyhalf? Or am I wrong, not sure?
@ Puma:
You are correct, he is a flyhalf. Not sure how much experience he has at 15, i hope we get a chance to see!
@ Stormersboy:
Lemme help you right, Dawie is a big BB fan, and last year when the likes of Jordaan, PSDT, Marais(Hooker Sharks)BOth the Sharks props that were there, and the BB flank ( ex glenwood) got game time we started winning :winning:
so yeah we will wait again till the Sharks boys get involved and start winning again lol heheh
In fact were it not for Jordaan in the one match when playing wing his defense was sublime we would have lost.
And yes I need to rub it in 😆
5 @ Sharks_forever:
hehehehe….
6 @ Sharks_forever:
That is very true, it was Jordaans brilliant defence against England that to be fair got us through that game otherwise we would not have made it all the way.
4 @ Stormersboy:
Thought he was a flyhalf, thanks bud. Well a good flyhalf should play well enough at fb. So let us see how he goes there.
@ Sharks_forever:
Morning uncle 😉
Ja I don’t much mind as long as we win of course. 🙂
I’ll be watching players like PS Du Toit and Paul Jordaan closely this year, it will be a watershed year for them, they played really well last season, but many players have had a great breakthrough year only to disappoint the following one.
They will inject a good amount of energy into the squad, which is suddenly looking a lot better. last year you had very definite lack of depth at center and lock, with makeshift solutions that didn’t always work out all of the time. This year you seem to almost have a glut of options in that position suddenly. Nice.
Bismark is the biggest concern for the Sharks, you guys have started badly the past couple of seasons, and the Bulls, cheetahs and of course Stormers will look to target the possession at lineout time as a potential weakness. There is quite a bit of pressure on your back-up hookers in that department. If you can get that sorted you guys will do really well in the opening games I think.
I’m certainly not relishing going to the Shark tank right at the beginning of the season.
@ Stormersboy:
Good Morning Junior lol
Hope you and the family are doing well?? and I agree, the good players keep going every year, so we will have to wait and see
I had a long chat with Bashford at the Sharks/Dolphins cricket match, and like he said to me, the final was lost when we lost 8 out of 11 lineouts
the rest is history
9 @ Stormersboy:
I never for once thought we had a lack of depth at centre last year. Even if we shifted players there for some games they were world class players. It worked very, very well for us. Especially when we surprised everyone in the Semi when we shifted JPP back to outside centre. Master move by Plum as JPP was sensational in that game, scored a beaut of a try with Fred putting him away.
Jordaan and Whitehead were brilliant together and Bosman never let the team down at all when he came on. Okay he slipped over his feet going to score a try against the Reds in the play offs, otherwise he was really good for us and will be again.
This year of course we have Fransie and that with the great centres already have is sure brilliant depth. We even may at one stage this year play Fransie and JPP together at centre, I will not be surprised for a game or two where we think it will suit us to see Plum play the two at centre together. We have some great options this year for sure.
Now just wish we had JC Van Rensburg coming on loan. Jeez I rate him highly.
Oh before I forget, Bissie will be back for both Bulls games when Sharks play them… 😛
10 @ Sharks_forever:
Absolutely, we can never lose so many of our own lineouts and expect to win a game. Though we were in it right until the end. Almost, almost could have scored a try in the end. Should have started with Deysel I feel. He was better than Alberts when he came on, also should have started with McLeod he too was better. But it was mostly our lineouts that cost us and of course no Bissie to stop Deon.
I doubt Burden will have such a bad game again. We could blame it on the jumpers or calls or whatever, but plenty of his throws were not straight. I blame that on him being a tourist with the Boks for 2 months, because before that he was actually playing some of his best rugby in the Currie Cup. Then from being in excellent form to losing it by not having enough game time. Pity as I think he would have been top class had he not gone to the Boks.
Spot the Sports minister Lotto pick…….
Not a bad start. Baby Boks thrashed the UWC 65-7!
Tries: Luther Obi, Jacques du Plessis (2), Jan Serfontein (2), Ruan Steenkamp, Dries Swanepoel, Tyler Fisher, Eugene Le Maitre, JP Lewis (2). Conversions: Handrè Pollard (3), Robert du Preez, Tim Swiel.
Users Online
Total 231 users including 0 member, 231 guests, 0 bot online
Most users ever online were 3735, on 31 August 2022 @ 6:23 pm
No Counter as from 31 October 2009: 41,450,702 Page Impressions
_