SA U20 team announced for Scotland clash
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South Africa Under-20 coach Dawie Theron has named his team to take on Scotland in their opening Pool C match at the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship in Padova on Friday at 20h10 (local time in RSA).
There are eight changes in the starting line-up from the team that defeated the Eastern Province Kings XV 31-16 during the Baby Boks’ final warm up match which was played in Port Elizabeth last month.
The Springbok Sevens duo of Tshotsho Mbovane and Paul Jordaan both earn their first start for the national U20 team. Jordaan will partner vice-captain Francois Venter in the midfield, while Mbovane, together with Ulrich Beyers (fullback) will form a back-three which includes Wandile Mjekevu who competed in last year’s tournament in Argentina.
Up front, a new front row combination will feature following the inclusion of props Juan Schoeman, Nic Schonert and hooker Bongi Mbonambi.
DHL Western Province’s Eben Etzebeth with partner former SA Schools representative Jean Cook at lock.
Siyamthanda Kolisi, who competed in last year’s IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina, will earn his sixth SA U20 cap on Friday. He, together with captain Arno Botha and flanker Francois Kleinhans rounds off the loose-forward trio for the South Africans.
“The guys have settled in well since arriving on Sunday, and have enjoyed some good training sessions, despite the heavy rain all week,” said Theron.
“We know what our strengths are, and we’ll be silly to deviate away from that, be it against Scotland or any team in this competition. But our focus all week has been Friday night’s game. We’ve got to build momentum through this tournament, and one of the ways to do so is to perfect the basics in our own game.
“There has been plenty of talk in Italy about how teams will play an expansive game. To me, there’s different opinion that defines an expansive approach and we as a team have our own thoughts and plans around expansive rugby.
“I know everyone wants to see tries, and it would be great to score as many as we can, but we’ll have to put in the hard yards first, and earn the right to play expansive if we going to earn the right to play that way.”
SA U20 Team to face Scotland – Ulrich Beyers, Tshotsho Mbovane, Paul Jordaan, Francois Venter, Wandile Mjekevu, Johan Goosen, Pieter Rademan, Arno Botha (c), Siyamthanda Kolisi, Francois Kleinhans, Eben Etzebeth, Jean Cook, Nic Schonert, Bongi Mbonambi, Juan Schoeman. Reserves: Micheal van Vuuren, John Roy Jenkinson, Ruan Venter, Cornell du Preez, Lohan Jacobs, John Welthagen, Craig Barry.
Note: The game will be broadcast live on Supersport 1.
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