A large group of Under 20 players has assembled in Stellenbosch this week to take part in trial matches and a training camp, with a view to being selected for Dawie Theron’s 28-man Junior Springbok squad for this year’s World Rugby Junior World Championship. Yes, that’s right. The name “World” now appears twice. It will do so again when we have the World Rugby Rugby World Cup. Marketing geniuses abound, but I digress.
The squad comprises mainly WP and Blue Bulls players (don’t all faint from surprise) but a couple of Sharks boys have managed to sneak in.
Recent Super Rugby debutant Daniel du Preez, who missed out on last year’s tournament due to injury, has been invited, as has twin brother Jean-Luc, who played a starring role in 2014. They are joined by a sextet of players who shone for the Sharks at under 19 level last year; tighthead prop and captain Ruan Kramer, loosehead prop Mzamo Majola, lock Hyron Andrews, number 8 Ayron Schramm, scrumhalf Rowan Gouws and flyhalf Innocent Radebe. Majola, Andrews and Schramm all made thier Vodacom Cup debuts this year, while Gouws and Radebe have both starred in the UKZN Impi Varsity Shield side.
Dan du Preez will not participate in the camp this week due to Super Rugby commitments, but along with Thomas du toit will come strongly into the reckoning when the final squad is named.
Here’s the full squad:
Vodacom Blue Bulls
Matthys Basson (prop), Warrick Gelant (centre), Njabula Gumede (prop), Dewald Human (flyhalf), JT Jackson (centre), Jason Jenkins (lock), Jurie Linde (centre), Jinx Molapo (wing), Adrian Maebane (centre), Menzi Nhlabathi (flanker), Abongile Nonkontwana (lock), Luigy Van Jaarsveld (number eight), Alandre Van Rooyen (hooker), Ivan Van Zyl (scrumhalf)
Boland Cavaliers
GL Erasmus (scrumhalf)
Eastern Province
Malcolm Jaer (fullback), Tyler Paul (flank), CJ Velleman (flank)
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
Joseph Dweba (hooker), Lorenzo Gordon (wing), Gunther Janse van Vuuren (prop), Gerhardus Labuschagne (centre), Ox Nche (prop), Stephen Rautenbach (centre), Frans Steyn (Shimlas, hooker), Andre Swarts (wing), Arno van Staden (wing), Conrad van Vuuren (prop), Reinach Venter (hooker), Jasper Wiese (number eight)
Xerox Golden Lions
Ruan Ackermann (lock), Marco Janse van Vuuren (scrumhalf), Le Roux Roets (lock), Gerdus van der Walt (centre)
Cell C Sharks
Hyron Andrews (lock), Dan du Preez (lock), Jean-Luc du Preez (flanker), Ruan Kramer (prop), Rowan Gouws (scrumhalf), Mzamo Majola (prop), Ayron Scrhamm (number eight), Innocent Radebe (flyhalf)
Leopards
Mogau Mabokela (Pukke, prop), Walt Steenkamp (Pukke, lock)
DHL Western Province
Ruan Brits (hooker), Dan du Plessis (hooker), Daniel du Plessis (centre), Jaco Coetzee (number eight), Grant Hermanus (fullback), Michael Kumbirai (prop), Remu Malan (Maties, scrumhalf), Daniel Maree (flank), Ryan Oosthuizen (centre), Khanyo Ngcukana (wing), Justin Phillips (scrumhalf), Ernst Stapelberg (flyhalf), Brandon Thomson (flyhalf), Christo van der Merwe (Maties, flanker), Francois van der Merwe (prop), Frans van Wyk (prop), Jacques Vermeulen (flanker), EW Viljoen (fullback), Edward Zandbergh (lock), Leolin Zas (wing)
Tweet
14 Bulls
12 Cheetahs
20 WP
and only 8 Sharks,
That is not very good.
Large group of players not here due to VC & SR committmentd. Dont read too much into the names
@Seth101 (Comment 1) : it is what it is. WP and Bulls contract 40+ under 19s each year. We do 10.
In fact, it’s amazing how good our strike rate is. Around 80% of our contracted under 19s from last year have made the squad
@Seth101 (Comment 1) : @robdylan (Comment 3) : Before we get excited lets remember where our junior sharks sides finished last year. So no real surprise to be honest.
What is happening with Morne Joubert? Heard really good things and would like to know how his progress is going.
Did I spot Frans Steyn at hooker. Versatile man! No wonder his kicking game wasn’t great this weekend. He’s a closet front ranker!!
@Saarks (Comment 5) : I’m actually not sure how he’s doing. I know he had an injury problem last year. Maybe he’s “in the fridge”?
Did I see correctly, did you guys lose Jean-Luc du Plessis?
So Pollards finally graduated!
@Morné (Comment 8) : yes we did. You’re welcome. We’ll thank you later.
Yep, he is with WP now, starred in their first VC game againt Boland. Not sure if he played last weekend against the Sharks. I think I remember reading something about attitude at some stage in the past.
@Seth101 (Comment 1) :
and 4 lions ….
@robdylan (Comment 10) : Thanks a stack
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 11) : So WP is the new recycle bin for discarded Sharks fh’s…good luck to them 😈
@Morné (Comment 13) : so ietwat van ‘n houdingsprobleem
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 11) : he kicked us to pieces on Saturday.
I guess he must be REALLY ANGRY with the Sharks.
@robdylan (Comment 16) : Ha ha, very sharp
“World Rugby Rugby World Cup”… 😯
Never a dull moment!!
@robdylan (Comment 3) : That is a very good strike rate…and considering that a Super Rugby Squad will NEVER be made up of the u20’s from 1 year, but rather more like of the u20’s from 10 years, I prefer the Sharks’ policy…