There are 13 DHL Western Province players in the SA Schools matchday squad named for the clash against France at Bishops on Tuesday.

There are 13 DHL Western Province players in the SA Schools matchday squad named for the clash against France at Bishops on Tuesday.

SA Schools coach Lance Sendin has made six changes to his side for the second round of matches in the U19 International Series, while his SA Schools A counterpart Sean Erasmus made wholesale changes to his team, with only four players retaining their places in the starting line-up.

The SA Schools team will face France at 16h00 on Tuesday, while the SA Schools A team takes on England at 14h30. In the other clash Wales and Italy will go head-to-head at 13h00.

Sendin made six changes to the starting team that defeated Wales 23-17 at City Park Stadium on Friday, with the three changes in the backline seeing Manuel Rass getting a run at outside centre, Muller du Plessis starting on the left wing and Richman Gora running out at scrumhalf. They replace Wandisile Simelane, Sihle Njezula and Rewan Kruger respectively.

The changes to the forwards will see hooker Daniel Jooste replacing Pieter Botha in the front row, while Ben-Jason Dixon will join forces with captain Salmaan Moerat in the engine room in place of PJ Steenkamp, and No.8 Khwezi Mafu takes over from Khanya Ncusane.

“It was important to maintain some form of continuity in selection after building good momentum in the opening match against Wales, but at the same time we wanted to give some deserving players a chance to start,” said Sendin.

“France will test us as they showed against England last week, and they will be high on confidence after winning their opening game, so we have to be focused throughout the match. It is also vital that we use our point-scoring chances effectively.”

Erasmus, meanwhile, named a new-look team for their clash against England, with only four players – fullback Abner van Reenen, wing Austin Davids, captain and centre Louritz van der Schyff and flank Athi Magwala – retaining their places in the run-on team. The SA Schools A side came up short against Italy on Friday, going down 23-20.

Two changes were injury enforced, as lock Jaco van Tonder and No 8 Jessie Johnson have been ruled out of action for two weeks after suffering suspected concussions on Friday. Paarl Boys High flank Francke Horn and Monument lock Ruan Vermaak have been called into the squad.

Horn has been named in the starting line-up, while Vermaak will warm the bench, while flyhalf Tyrone Green and scrumhalf Zinedine Booysen will form an exciting new halfback combination. Affies prop Cabous Eloff and hooker Schalk Erasmus will partner with KES tighthead prop Keagan Glade in a new front row.

Erasmus’ team also features a new lock pairing of Juan van der Mescht and Ryno Pieterse.

Commenting on the changes to his team Erasmus said: “We wanted to give all the players a chance to start in the first two matches, but we also have to select the team that is best suited to what we plan to do against the opposition, and we believe this team is the best to take on England,” said Erasmus.

“We have named a bigger pack to counter the threat posed by the England forwards, and to give us more stability in the set pieces. We also have to be switched on defensively as we are expecting England to run hard at us.”

The final round of matches will be hosted at Paarl Boys’ High on Saturday.

SA Schools: 15 Gianni Lombard (Paarl Boys High), 14 Mike Mavovana (Rondebosch Boys), 13 Manuel Rass (Paarl Boys High), 12 Rikus Pretorius (Grey College), 11 Muller du Plessis (Paarl Gym), 10 Damian Willemse (Paul Roos), 9 Richman Gora (Welkom Gymnasium), 8 Khwezi Mafu (Grey High), 7 Muller Uys (Paarl Gym), 6 Charl Serdyn (Paarl Boys High), 5 Ben-Jason Dixon (Paul Roos), 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain – Paarl Boys High), 3 Sazi Sandi (St Andrews College), 2 Daniel Jooste (Paarl Boys High), 1 Nathan McBeth (Monument).
Replacements: 16 PJ Botha (Monument), 17 Reece Bezuidenhout (Paarl Boys High), 18 Johan Neethling (Paarl Boys High), 19 PJ Steenkamp (Garsfontein), 20 JC Pretorius (HTS Middelburg),
21 Rewan Kruger (Grey College), 22 Ruan de Swardt (Affies), 23 Wandisile Simelane (Jeppe), 24 Khanya Ncusane (Paarl Boys High), 25 Emilio Adonis (Garsfontein), 26 Sihle Njezula (Grey High).

SA Schools A: 15 Abner van Reenen Garsfontein, 14 Austin Davids (Garsfontein), 13 Janco van Heyningen (Grey College), 12 Louritz Van der Schyff (captain – Affies), 11 Tadendaishe Mujawo (St Benedict’s), 10 Tyrone Green (Jeppe), 9 Zinedine Booysen (Oakdale), 8 Dian Schoonees (Grey College), 7 Francke Horn (Paarl Boys High), 6 Athi Magwala (Boland Landbou), 5 Juan van der Mescht (Glenwood), 4 Ryno Pieterse (Garsfontein), 3 Keagan Glade (KES), 2 Schalk Erasmus (Affies), 1 Cabous Eloff (Affies).
Replacements: 16 Dylan Richardson (Kearsney College), 17 Gugu Nelani (Northwood), 18 Mornay Smith (Eldoraigne), 19 Christopher Havenga (Monument), 20 Mark Snyman (Helpmekaar), 21 Ruan Vermaak (Monument), 22 Sanele Nohamba (DHS), 23 Lubabalo Dobela (Grey High), 24 Sicelo Tole (Muir College), 25 Cameron Hufke (Noord-Kaap), 26 Ayabonga Oliphant (Grey High).