Coach Chean Roux has named an experienced Junior Boks starting lineup for their first U20 Championship match against France on Wednesday.
The run-on team boasts six players who were part of the 2016 squad – fullback Manie Libbok, centre Stedman Gans, flyhalf Curwin Bosch, flanks Ernst van Rhyn and Zain Davids and prop Carlu Sadie.
The wings are Yaw Penxe and Wandisile Simelane, while Gans is partnered in midfield by David Brits. Rewan Kruger is at scrumhalf.
The flankers are joined by Juarno Augustus in the back row. Last year's SA Schools lock pairing, Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden, continue their partnership in the Junior Boks' second row and hooker Johan Grobbelaar and prop Gerhard Steenekamp will scrum down alongside Sadie.
'The experience the players will bring from last year will certainly be beneficial against France,' said Roux. 'They know what it's like to play for their country in front of a crowd and to sing the national anthem, and hopefully that experience will filter down to the other players making their debuts.
'We had a good idea about the team we wanted to select for this match since our holding camp in Cape Town, so it wasn’t that tough to select the starting side.
'France are a physical side and they do not like to kick the ball much, so they will want to bring that French flair into their game. That means our defence has to be up to scratch.
Junior Boks – 15 Manie Libbok, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 David Brits, 11 Wandisile Simelane, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn (c), 6 Zain Davids, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Subs: 16 Kwenzo Blose, 17 Daniel Jooste, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Hendre Stassen, 20 Nama Xaba, 21 Francois de Villiers, 22 Damian Willemse, 23 Gianni Lombard.
Photo: Matt Lewis/Gallo Images
