Curwin Bosch has been included in the Junior Boks' 28-man squad for the World Rugby U20 Championship in Georgia in June.
The Sharks flyhalf is one of eight surviving members of the 2016 squad, alongside Ernst van Rhyn (captain), Kwenzo Blose, Carlu Sadie, Zain Davids, Stedman Gans, Manie Libbok and Embrose Papier.
Rhyn has been named the team captain in what will be his third U20 tournament, and second as skipper. He was the captain in 2015 and vice-captain in 2016.
Additionally, coach Chean Roux has included six players from last year's SA Schools team – Salmaan Moerat, Gianni Lombard, Rewan Kruger, Wandisile Simelane, Damian Willemse and Daniel Jooste.
The Lions' Zaire-born wing Madosh Tambwe is the notable omission. He was unable to obtain a South African passport in time and was therefore ineligible for selection.
'We are pleased with the quality of the players in our squad and we believe the team has the potential to go all the way in the competition,' said Roux. 'We had to make a number of tough calls to narrow down the group to 28 players, but we are confident that we have selected a squad worthy of competing against the best teams in the world in Georgia.
'A number of the players have experienced international age-group rugby, either in the World Rugby U20 Championship, or the U19 International Series, while others have been exposed to International Sevens and Super Rugby, which will be invaluable in Georgia.'
Junior Boks squad – Juarno Augustus (Western Province), Kwenzo Blose (Free State Cheetahs), Curwin Bosch (Sharks), David Brits (Western Province), Jean-Luc Cilliers (Golden Lions), Zain Davids (Western Province), Francois de Villiers (Sharks), Stedman Gans (Blue Bulls), Johan Grobbelaar (vice-captain, Blue Bulls), Wikus Groenewald (Western Province), Daniel Jooste (Western Province), Rewan Kruger (Free State Cheetahs), Manie Libbok (Blue Bulls), Gianni Lombard (Golden Lions), Len Massyn (Golden Lions), Lee-Marvin Mazibuko (Western Province), Salmaan Moerat (Western Province), Reinhard Nothnagel (Golden Lions), Embrose Papier (Blue Bulls), Yaw Penxe (EP Kings), Carlu Sadie (Western Province), Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions), Hendre Stassen (Blue Bulls), Gerhard Steenekamp (Blue Bulls), Ruben van Heerden (Blue Bulls), Damian Willemse (Western Province), Nama Xaba (Western Province), Ernst van Rhyn (captain, Western Province).
Photo: Matt Lewis/Getty Images
