The South African Rugby Union on Thursday named the SA Schools and SA Schools A squads for the Under-18 International Series against England, France, Wales and Italy in August, with 12 DHL Western Province players in the mix.

The teams, which consist of 26 players each and are sponsored by Coca-Cola, were selected by a panel of national and SA Schools selectors following the conclusion of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week in Stellenbosch.

The SA Schools squad will face Wales on August 7 in Stellenbosch, France on August 11 at Outeniqua Park in George and England on August 15 at City Park Stadium in Cape Town.

The SA Schools A squad, meanwhile, will take on Italy in Stellenbosch, England in George and Wales in Cape Town in their clashes, which will serve as curtain-raisers to the SA Schools matches.

Hein Kriek from Paul Roos Gymnasium has again been appointed the SA Schools coach, while Lance Sendin from Hugenote Hoërskool in Wellington will guide the SA Schools A team.

Following DHL Western Province’s remarkable 95-0 victory against Eastern Province in the final match of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week, 12 players from the Cape side were selected in the SA Schools squad, while the remainder of the squad was made up of players from the Blue Bulls, Golden Lions, Eastern Province, SWD, the Valke and Griquas CD.

Eastern Province flyhalf Curwin Bosch, who was named the Coca-Cola Craven Week Player of the Year in 2014, was one of four players who retained their places in the squad, with the others being Blue Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier wing Andell Loubser and Griquas CD loose forward Cobus Wiese.

The squads will assemble in Cape Town on Sunday, August 2 to begin their preparations for the series.

In the first four years of the Under-18 International Series, only England have defeated the SA Schools team – a feat which they achieved in the closing match of last year’s tournament.

SA SCHOOLS SQUAD FOR THE UNDER-18 INTERNATIONAL SERIES:

Forwards: Kwezi Mafu (Eastern Province – Grey), Hacjivah Dayimani (Golden Lions – Jeppe), Johan Visser (DHL Western Province – Paarl Gymnasium), Cobus Wiese (Griquas CD – Hoerskool Upington), Ruben De Villiers (DHL Western Province – Paarl Boys High), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Western Province – Paarl Boys High), Ruben Van Heerden (Blue Bulls – AHS), Ernst Van Rhyn (DHL Western Province – Paarl Gymnasium), Ashwyn Adams (DHL Western Province – Rondebosch Boys High), Cabous Eloff (Blue Bulls – AHS), Dewald Maritz (Pumas – Hoerskool Nelspruit), Carlu Sadie (DHL Western Province – Bellville High), Johan Grobbelaar (DHL Western Province – Paarl Gymnasium), Nico Peyper (Valke – EG Jansen).

Backs: Andell Loubser (Blue Bulls – Menlo Park), Joshua Vermeulen (DHL Western Province – Paul Roos), Nico Leonard (DHL Western Province – Paul Roos), David Brits (Border – Selborne), Stedman Gans (Blue Bulls – Waterkloof), Manie Libbok (SWD – Outeniqua), Manuel Ras (DHL Western Province – Paarl Boys High), Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions – Jeppe), Curwin Bosch (Eastern Province – Grey), Damian Willemse (DHL Western Province – Paul Roos), Embrose Papier (Blue Bulls – Garsfontein), Jondre Williams (DHL Western Province – Boland Landbou).

Coach: Hein Kriek

SA SCHOOLS A SQUAD:

Forwards: Zain Davids (DHL Western Province – Rondebosch Boys High), Kwanda Dimaza (Border- Dale), Phillip Krause (Blue Bulls – AHS), Ngwekazi Khanya Ncusane (DHL Western Province – Paarl Boys High), PJ Steenkamp (Blue Bulls – Garsfontein), Kamva Dilima (Eastern Province – Grey), Reinhard Nothnagel (Golden Lions – Monument), Hendre Stassen (Valke – EG Jansen), PW Koegelenberg (Boland – Swartland HS), Mashao Mukhari (Blue Bulls – Pretoria Boys High), Ignatius Michael Prinsloo (Free State – Grey College), Abram Venter (Griquas – De Aar High), Andre Lategan (Eastern Province – Framesby), Marnus Van der Merwe (Pumas – Hoerskool Nelspruit).

Backs: Earll Douwrie (Boland – HTS Drostdy), Riaan Van Rensburg (Eastern Province – Framesby), Tyreeq February (DHL Western Province – Paarl Boys High), Ryan Muller (DHL Western Province – Bellville High), Abner Van Reenen (Blue Bulls – Garsfontein), Mujaahid van der Hoven (DHL Western Province – Rylands), Heino Bezuidenhoudt (Eastern Province – Daniel Pienaar), Cyprian Nkomo (Pumas – Hoerskool Middelburg), Eddie Fouche (Blue Bulls – AHS), Bader-Werner Pretorius (Kwa-Zulu Natal – Michaelhouse), Matthew Dahl (Kwa-Zulu Natal – Hilton), Jason Olivier (Griffons – Welkom Gimnasium).

Coach: Lance Sendin

2015 UNDER-18 INTERNATIONAL SERIES FIXTURES:

Friday, August 7 – Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch:
12h00 – SA Schools A v Italy U18
14h00 – England U18 v France U18
16h00 – SA Schools v Wales U18

Tuesday, August 11 – Outeniqua Park, George:
13h00 – SA Schools A v England U18
15h00 – Wales U18 v Italy U18
17h00 – SA Schools v France U18

Saturday, August 15 – City Park Stadium, Cape Town:
11h00 – SA Schools A v Wales U18
13h00 – France U18 v Italy U18
15h00 – SA Schools v England U18