The process to select the SA Under-20 squad to represent South Africa at the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship in New Zealand will begin on Sunday when the expanded training group gathers in Stellenbosch for an intensive two-month training camp.

The group, consisting of almost 70 of the country’s most promising Under-20 players, will play trial matches on Monday, 31 March and Wednesday 2 April in Stellenbosch. Following the trials, the squad will be reduced to approximately 40 players to continue with preparations ahead of the JWC 2014.

The Junior World Championship will be held in Auckland from June 2 to 20, 2014.

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Dawie Theron, the SA U20 coach and members of the SARU Mobi-Unit will guide the players through a series of planning, field and conditioning sessions before a short break for the Easter holidays. A reduced squad of approximately 40 players will then return to Stellenbosch, from which the final JWC squad will be selected.

SARU will announce the SA Under-20 JWC squad of 28 players on Tuesday, April 22, at a media conference in Cape Town.

The training camp will include two trial matches, scheduled for next Monday and Wednesday, daily training, conditioning and strategic planning sessions, as well as a much-anticipated three-match international series against the Argentina Under-20 side.

Last month, the SA U20 coach and the SARU Mobi-Unit hosted one-day planning sessions in Johannesburg and Cape Town, where the coach shared his vision and mission for the upcoming camp, among other things.

Next week’s trial matches will give the players the opportunity to play themselves into contention for selection for the reduced training group before the final JWC squad is selected.

“The gathering of the large group of players will be the culmination of an extensive period of work behind the scenes where we meticulously planned the two-month training camp and identified the large pool of players,” said Theron.

He added he was very pleased with the game time the majority of the players have been afforded so far this season.

“Thanks to the excellent relationship and constant communication between SARU and the various provincial coaches, I am pleased with the amount of game time these players have had this season.

“It is a huge improvement from previous years, and hopefully it will count in our favour as we go in search of the title.,” explained Theron.

The following three players were not considered for the camp due to Vodacom Super Rugby commitments: André Esterhuizen (Cell C Sharks), Handré Pollard and Jessie Kriel (Vodacom Bulls).

Furthermore, the SARU medical team and their provincial colleagues will continue to monitor the rehabilitation programmes of the following injured players: Kevin Kaba (EP Kings, knee), Ryno Eksteen (DHL WP, knee), Duhan van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls/SARU, knee), Grant Hermanus (Paarl Gymnasium, hamstring).

The players who were selected for the original training group, but will not be travelling to Stellenbosch for the trials, will still be considered for inclusion in the official JWC squad.

SARU has made the following arrangements to assist the players gain as much game time as possible in the next few weeks:

• Players competing in the Varsity Cup Young Guns final will be requested to report for duty in Stellenbosch on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

• Players selected in their respective provincial union’s starting lineups in the Vodacom Cup competition for the weekend of the (April 4/ 5) will be released back to their unions on Thursday, April 3 in preparation of these fixtures.

• Players representing their Universities in either the Varsity Cup promotion/ relegation fixture or the Varsity Cup final, which will both take place on the April 7, 2014, will also be released on Thursday, April 3 in preparation for those matches.

The following group of players will assemble in Stellenbosch on Sunday:

Vodacom Blue Bulls: Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Dan Kriel, Pierre Schoeman, Duncan Mathews, JP Smith, Corniel Els, Wilco Louw, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Abongile Nonkontwana, Arno van Wyk, Leighton van Wyk, Janse van Rensburg, RG Snyman, Heinrich Viljoen, Kobus Marais, Warrick Gelant, Ganfried May, Marcus Kleinbooi, Chris Massyn, Nqoba Mxoli

Golden Lions: Malcom Marx, Michael Hazner, Ramone Samuels, Jaco Van der Walt, Jano Venter, Thabo Mabuza, Victor Sisekete, Christiaan Meyer, Pieter Scholtz, Stephan Vermeulen, Cyle Brink, Dylan Smith, Kock Marx.

GWK Griquas: Hillford Clarke.

Leopards: Dean Stokes, Lloyd Greef.

Toyota Free State: Ox Nche, Joseph Dweba, Mthokozisi Mkhabela, Nicolaas Lee.

EP Kings: Aidon Davis, Sergeal Petersen.

Cell C Sharks: Thomas du Toit, Gideon Koegelenberg, Chris de Beer, Jean-Luc du Plessis, Dan du Preez, Jean-Luc du Preez, Neil Maritz, Sandile Khubeka, Cameron Wright, Ayron Schramm, Ray Williams, Sias Koen, Alrin Eksteen

DHL Western Province: JD Schickerling, Jacques Vermeulen, Ernst Stapelberg, Daniel du Plessis, Jarryd Sage, SP Ferreira, Justin Philips, Dewald Naude, Chad Solomon, Frans van Wyk, Jan Uys, EW Viljoen, Rikus Bothma.

The SA U20 camp will include the following activities:

Camp One
When: 31 March – 16 April 2014
Where: Stellenbosch Academy of Sport

Camp Two
When: 23 April – 17 May 2014
Where: Stellenbosch Academy of Sport and Cape Town

SA U20 international friendlies vs Argentina U20:

09 May: SA vs Argentina (City Park Stadium, Cape Town)
13 May: SA vs Argentina (Paul Roos, Stellenbosch)
17 May: SA vs Argentina (Saldanha Rugby Club, Saldanha)

JWC Holding camp:

When: 23 – 26 May 2014
Where: Stellenbosch Academy of Sport

Capping Ceremony:

When: 25 May 2014
Where: Stellenbosch Academy of Sport

Squad Departure:

When: 26 May 2014
Where: Cape Town International Airport

SA U20 2014 JWC fixtures:

2 June: SA vs Scotland (North Harbor)
6 June: SA vs New Zealand (North Harbor)
10 June: SA vs Samoa (Pukekohe)
15 June: Playoffs (Tbc)
20 June: Finals (Auckland)