Vodacom Blue Bulls lock RG Snyman has been withdrawn from the Junior Springboks touring squad to Argentina due to an ankle ligament injury and will be replaced by DHL WP’s Rikus Bothma.
Snyman hurt his ankle during a training session in Stellenbosch and will be out of action for between two and four weeks.
Outstanding loose forward Bothma, the former SA Schools captain and skipper of last year’s DHL Western Province Under-19 team, has been named as his replacement – meaning that a total of nine DHL WP youngsters will make the trip to Argentina.
Snyman will continue with his rehabilitation until Friday and will return to the camp when the squad reassembles after the tour. He will undergo a fitness test on his return.
The Junior Boks fly out to South America early on Friday morning for their two-match series against the Argentina Under-20 team. The two teams will clash on May 12 and 16 in Rosario as part of their final preparations for the upcoming World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy.
The young South Africans will have one more hit-out before the tour on Wednesday when they take to the field at 10h00 against the Western Province Rugby Institute at the Paul Roos Markotter Stadium in Stellenbosch.
Meanwhile, two more players have joined the national Under-20 training squad. Wing Duhan van der Merwe, who was a member of the Junior Bok squad that travelled to New Zealand last year, and his Vodacom Blue Bulls teammate, flyhalf Thinus de Beer, were added to the squad on Monday.
The Junior Springbok squad to represent South Africa at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in June will be announced after the touring party have returned from Argentina on May 18.
THE JUNIOR SPRINGBOK SQUAD TO TOUR ARGENTINA FROM MAY 8-18 IS AS FOLLOWS:
Forwards (17):
Hyron Andrews (Cell C Sharks)
Rikus Bothma (DHL Western Province)
Dan du Preez (Cell C Sharks)
Jean-Luc du Preez (Cell C Sharks)
Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks)
Joseph Dwebe (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
Njabulo Gumede (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Jason Jenkins (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Ruan Kramer (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
Hanro Liebenberg (Vodacom Bulls – captain)
Mzamo Majola (Cell C Sharks)
Ox Nche (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
Abongile Nonkontwana (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Jan van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Frans van Wyk (DHL Western Province)
CJ Velleman (EP Kings)
Jacques Vermeulen (DHL Western Province)
Backs (11):
Daniel du Plessis (DHL Western Province)
Warrick Gelant (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Grant Hermanus (DHL Western Province)
JT Jackson (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Malcolm Jaer (EP Kings)
Marco Janse van Vuuren (Golden Lions)
Khanyo Ngcukana (DHL Western Province)
Ernst Stapelberg (DHL Western Province)
Brandon Thomson (DHL Western Province)
Ivan van Zyl (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Leolin Zas (DHL Western Province)