The Junior Springboks are locked and loaded for their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign, with head coach Kevin Foote naming a settled starting XV to take on Australia in Sunday’s pool opener at the San Michele Stadium in Calvisano, Italy.
Foote has made four tactical adjustments from the team that narrowly fell to New Zealand in their recent U20 Rugby Championship clash in Gqeberha, showing confidence in a squad that has built strong chemistry throughout their preparations.
The most notable change in the backline sees Siya Ndlozi replacing Gino Cupido on the left wing, while the rest of the attacking unit remains unchanged. This consistency should serve the Junior Boks well as they look to establish their rhythm early in the tournament.
The bigger shake-up comes in the pack, where Foote has made three strategic changes. The loose forward trio now features flankers Batho Hlekani and Xola Nyali alongside the powerful No. 8 Wandile Mlaba, while the front row welcomes Herman Lubbe at tighthead prop, with Jean Erasmus shifting to bench duty.
Exciting debut prospects
The replacements bench offers plenty of intrigue, with flyhalf Ian van der Merwe and outside back Jaco Williams both in line for their Junior Bok debuts. Lock Jaco Grobbelaar, who recently completed his Vodacom United Rugby Championship duties with the Bulls, brings valuable experience to the forward reserves.
“We are extremely excited about starting the World Championship in Italy,” Foote said with obvious enthusiasm. “It’s a great country and you can feel the energy within the group. The players have prepared well, they’ve got clarity, and they are just such a great group together.”
Revenge mission against Australia
Sunday’s clash carries extra motivation for the Junior Boks, who will be eager to avenge their heartbreaking 29-24 defeat to Australia earlier this year. The young Wallabies pulled off a stunning comeback from 17 points down in that U20 Rugby Championship encounter, and Foote knows his team will need to be at their best.
“Selection is always tough and leaving some guys out is hard, but we’ve gone with a team that has played a lot together now, has a lot of synergy and understanding of our game,” the coach explained.
Captain Riley Norton will lead the charge, supported by an experienced leadership group including Haashim Pead, JJ Theron, and Siphosethu Mnebelele.
The Junior Boks find themselves in a tough pool alongside defending champions England and Scotland, making every match crucial in their quest for knockout stage qualification. The tournament format sees the three pool winners and best runner-up advance to the semi-finals.
“All of us are looking forward to starting the tournament,” Foote concluded. “We are excited about the challenge from Australia, and we cannot wait to get going.”
Match details
- Kick-off: Sunday, 15:30
- Venue: San Michele Stadium, Calvisano, Italy
Junior Springbok Starting XV vs Australia:
Backs: 15 Gilermo Mentoe, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Demitre Erasmus, 12 Albie Bester, 11 Siyabonga Ndlozi, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Haashim Pead.
Forwards: 8 Wandile Mlaba, 7 Bathobele Hlekani, 6 Xola Nyali, 5 JJ Theron, 4 Riley Norton (captain), 3 Herman Lubbe, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Simphiwe Ngobese
Replacements: 16 Jaundre Schoeman, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Jean Erasmus, 19 Jaco Grobbelaar, 20 Matt Romao, 21 Erich Visser, 22 Ian van der Merwe, 23 Jaco Williams
The future stars of world rugby are set to light up Italy’s Lombardia and Veneto regions, with matches taking place across Calvisano, Rovigo, Verona, and Viadana. The Junior Boks will be hoping this marks the beginning of a championship-winning campaign.
