Junior Springbok coach, Dawie Theron has named three of the five Sharks players in his squad to face Italy in their World Rugby Under-20 Championship opener in Calvisano Italy tonight.
Flanker Jean-Luc du Preez and prop Thomas du Toit are included in the starting XV, while Daniel du Preez is included on the bench.
Both Du Preez brothers, Dan and Jean-Luc, were selected for the 2014 tournament, but Dan had to withdraw days before the team left for New Zealand because of a shoulder injury.
It is also Jean-Luc and Thomas’ second successive year representing the Junior Boks. Other players include, Joseph Dweba (hooker, Toyota Free State Cheetahs), Abongile Nonkontwana (lock, Vodacom Blue Bulls), Jacques Vermeulen (No 8, DHL Western Province) and Warrick Gelant (fullback, Vodacom Blue Bulls).
“This is a well balanced team and the squad is overall in good shape. We have done a lot of mental preparation for this match because Italy will come out fighting all the way,” said coach Theron.
The match will be live at 20:30 on SuperSport 1.
Junior Springboks:
15 Warrick Gelant (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 14 Khanyo Ngcukana (DHL Western Province) 13 Daniel du Plessis (DHL Western Province) 12 JT Jackson (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 11 Leolin Zas (DHL Western Province) 10 Brandon Thomson (DHL Western Province) 9 Ivan van Zyl (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 8 Hanro Liebenberg (Vodacom Blue Bulls, captain) 7 Jean-Luc du Preez (Cell C Sharks) 6 Rikus Bothma (DHL Western Province) 5 RG Snyman (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 4 Abongile Nonkontwana (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 3 Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks) 2 Jan van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 1 Ox Nche (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
Replacements:
16 Joseph Dweba (Toyota Free State Cheetahs) 17 Njabulo Gumede (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 18 Frans van Wyk (DHL Western Province) 19 Jason Jenkins (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 20 Dan du Preez (Cell C Sharks) 21 Marco Jansen van Vuren (Xerox Golden Lions) 22 Tinus de Beer (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 23 Malcolm Jaer (EP Kings)
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Azzurrini – sounds a bit girlish, hmmmm similar to Bokkies.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 1) : Baby Bokkies
@SharksRTB (Comment 2) : Bokkietjies?
Junior Boks kick off has been delayed by 20 minutes…
Now they start and the Baby Boks start with a huge maul!
The little Italians score first to lead 0-5…the Baby Boks answer pretty much immediately to make it 7-5…
Tge refereeing is very italian
The Baby Boks are making a lot if mistakes and are struggling to shrug off the shimmying Italians…
@byron (Comment 7) : But we’re making very silly mistakes!
After a yellow card to Italy on 32 minutes, the Baby Boks score twice in 3 minutes…
That makes it 21-5 at halftime…
We’re still struggling to break Italy down…
Still 21-5 after 63 minutes…
Ah, there’s the fourth try in the 64th minute…
Now the Baby Bok lock from the Bulls Snyman gets yellow carded…
26-5 with a couple of minutes to go…
The Baby Boks score a 5th with just over a minute to go to make it 33-5…
Can’t believe these are our best U20 players. Error after error after error. 😯
That’s it…full time…33-5…nothing too exciting there!
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 18) : You forgot to add “…after error after error” a few more times!!
@pastorshark (Comment 20) : Sorry, only watched the last 25 mins
“Start of play was delayed as the South African bus took a wrong turn on their way to the stadium and it seemed to impact on the concentration levels of the team.”
Oh boy…maybe the lack of concentration can be excused this time…
@pastorshark (Comment 22) : Hey??? Try another one. If they’re THAT soft in the head they shouldn’t be there. One expects that by the second half a wrong turn would have been long forgotten, especially against Italy.
I see a disappointing comp for them if they don’t get their arses in gear.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 23) : You’re right, of course…but I reckon they’ll get better…or is that just another one of those “please?” Things?!
@pastorshark (Comment 24) : You know what to do!
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 25) : I’ll get right on it…