Towering lock Riley Norton will lead the Junior Springbok into battle at the third edition of Sanzaar’s U20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha from April 27 to May 9.
The tournament, featuring teams from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina, will be played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on three match days (April 27 and May 3 and 9).
Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote has included four members of the SA U20 squad that won the Junior World Championship in Italy in 2025, as well as several of the most promising young local rugby talents.
Apart from Norton, Siphosethu Mnebelele, Oliver Reid and Vusi Moyo were members of the successful Junior Bok side of last year.
They are joined in the squad by Markus Muller, Ethan Adams (both centres), Gert Kemp (No 8) and Kai Pratt (prop), all of whom played for the SA U-18 side last year.
The Junior Bok squad was picked from the SA U20 training group who had been preparing for the forthcoming Sanzaar event in Stellenbosch for the past two weeks.
Cheswill Jooste (wing) and Zekhethelo Siyaya (fullback) were placed on standby pending their duties in the United Rugby Championship, along with Jade Muller and Akahluwa Boqwana.
Injury also ruled out regular Junior Bok training squad member Luan Giliomee after the Blitzbok utility player sustained a niggle which prevented him from attending the latest training camp.
Foote said to reduce the training squad from 43 players to 31 for the tournament had not been easy.
“We asked a lot of the group over the past two weeks, because we wanted to step up the intensity and increase their fitness, and they responded splendidly,” he said.
“The Junior Boks know from experience that the Southern Hemisphere teams play a high-tempo game, and we are looking forward to playing an exciting brand of rugby with lots of ball in play.
“We tailored our camp programme around those focus areas so that we can prepare our players accordingly for what they will encounter in the Rugby Championship.
“We also continued to work hard on our cohesion and our game model, and the coaching staff are very pleased with the effort of all the young men.
“Unfortunately, we can only take a squad of 31, and so we feel for those players who missed out on final selection.
We will fine-tune our final preparations in Gqeberha before our opening match on April 27 against Argentina.”
With the Junior World Championship in mind, in June and July in Georgia, the Junior Bok coach said the door was not closed on those players who missed out on selection.
Junior Springbok squad:
Props: Oliver Reid (Stormers), Rambo Kubheka (Sharks), Jordan Jooste (Stormers), Danie Kruger (Stormers), Kai Pratt (Sharks).
Hookers: Siphosethu Mnebelele (Bulls), Liam van Wyk (Sharks).
Locks: Heinrich Theron (Bulls), Riley Norton (captain, Stormers), JD Hattingh (Lions), Jaythen Orange (Lions).
Loose forwards: Kebotile Maake (Bulls), Risima Khosa (Lions), Luke Canon (Lions), Thomas Beling (Bulls), Wasi Vyambwera (Sharks), Gert Kemp (Stormers).
Scrumhalves: Hendré Schoeman (Bulls), Jayden Brits (Stormers).
Flyhalves: Yaqeen Ahmed (Stormers), Vusi Moyo (Sharks).
Centres: Ethan Adams (Lions), Samuel Badenhorst (Stormers), Markus Muller (Stormers), Olunje Mehlomakulu (Stormers).
Outside backs: Khuthadzo Rasivhaga (Sharks), Lindsey Jansen (Bulls), Jack Benade (Stormers), *Jade Muller (Cheetahs), *Akahluwa Boqwana (Bulls), Alzeadon Felix (Sharks), *Cheswill Jooste (Bulls), *Zekhethelo Siyaya (Sharks).
Players marked with an asterisk are on standby.
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