South Africa name squad for JWC 2010
South Africa name squad for JWC 2010
(IRB.COM) Thursday 15 April 2010
South Africa Under 20 coach Eric Sauls has unveiled his 26-man squad for the IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina this June, one he hopes will better their third place finishes in the last two tournaments.
Sauls, who coached the Baby Boks to both third places as well as runners up at the IRB Under 19 World Championship in 2007, has unveiled Blue Bulls forward CJ Stander as his captain for the premier age grade tournament.
Stander was a key figure in South Africa's challenge at last year's Junior World Championship in Japan and is one of three players from that squad still eligible to have been selected for 2010.
The others are second row Kenechukwu Okafor and wing Sampie Mastriet, the latter having made an explosive debut on the IRB Sevens World Series last month with nine tries in the Adelaide Sevens.
Branco du Preez, another young star of the Springbok Sevens team, will also travel to Argentina, as will Patrick Lambie and Wandile Mjekevu who have made their Super 14 debuts for the Sharks and Lions respectively this year.
Eighteen members of the squad have been part of the South African Rugby Union's High Performance Programmes for the last two years.
Fine balance
"We don't want to go to the World Championships and settle for third place again, we want to improve our position as a leading force on the junior international stage," said Sauls.
"I believe the national selectors have struck a fine balance in their selections. We have players who competed in the Vodacom Super 14, others who have played in the IRB Sevens World Series and we also have a number of our youngsters who have experienced game time in the Vodacom Cup.
"The players know what is expected of them as a South African national rugby team and they will hopefully represent their country with pride."
South Africa will open their Junior World Championship campaign against Tonga in Paraná on 5 June with matches to come in Santa Fe against Scotland four days later and then Australia - the side they beat 32-5 to finish third in Japan - on 13 June.
Only the Pool C winner will be guaranteed a place in the semi finals on 17 June, the three pool winners being joined by the best placed second team to battle it out for the 2010 crown.
SA Under 20 Squad:
Brummer Badenhorst, Mlungisi Bali, Sebastian de Chaves, Ruan Dreyer, Christiaan du Randt, Francois du Toit, Branco du Preez, Monde Hadebe, Adri Jacobs, Elton Jantjies, Patrick Lambie, Sampie Mastriet*, Peet Marais, Sam Mbombo, Frederick Muller, Wandile Mjekevu, Lubabalo Mthembu, Kenechukwu Okafor*, Nico Scheepers, Louis Schreuder, CJ Stander* (captain), Sibusiso Sithole :iconrofl:, Jaco Taute, Marcel van der Merwe, Hendrik van der Walt, Francois Venter.
*Junior World Championship 2009
South Africa Sevens
Super 14
