Three players have been ruled out of South Africa's vital Junior World Championship pool match against New Zealand in Auckland on Friday.

Midfielder Rohan Janse van Rensburg, who came on as second half replacement against Scotland on Monday, will return home after he sustained an ankle injury in the match. He will be replaced by Duhan van der Merwe, a SA Sevens-contracted player and a member of the Junior Boks’ training group.

Inside centre André Esterhuizen was ruled out of action for the next couple of days after receiving a blow to the head in the second half against the Scots, while flanker Jacques Vermeulen is suffering from an ankle injury.

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