SARU has announced a squad of 55 players – including four DHL Western Province Under-18 stars – to attend the SA Schools trials on Saturday, July 26 at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park.
The SA Schools trial squad was selected by the national selectors following the conclusion of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week in Middelburg, with DHL WP’s Duncan Saal (wing), flank Saud Abrahams and locks Ruben de Villiers and Jaco Willemse named in the 55-man group.
The trials in Kempton Park will assist the national selectors to finalise the 28-man SA Schools squad for next month’s series of youth international matches featuring France, Wales and England.
In the last four years the SA Schools team, which is sponsored by Coca-Cola, participated in the series with great success by remaining unbeaten. With a healthy rugby development system in SA, they will look to repeat this feat for the fifth time in August following the decision by the English, French and Welsh Under-18 teams to return to SA this year.
The SA Schools team will face France in their first match of the series at the City Park Stadium in Cape Town on August 15, Wales at Outeniqua Park in George on August 19, and England at the Paul Roos Markötter ground in Stellenbosch on August 23.
The trial group consists of 23 backs and 33 forwards and includes two players who starred at the Under-18 Academy Week in Worcester recently, Boland flanker Jurie Fick and Lions number eight Hacjivah Dayimani.
“This large group of players caught the attention with their exciting skills during another excellent Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week. All of them now have a final chance to impress the selectors, who have the difficult task to select just 28 players for the upcoming youth internationals,” said SARU CEO Jurie Roux.
Roux added: “Over the years we have seen many players graduate from the Coca-Cola Youth Weeks to the SA Schools team and then to either to our provincial unions or the Springbok team.
“We believe this tough competition for our school players will ensure that they are adequately prepared for the demands and challenges of international rugby in future.”
The following players will attend the SA Schools trials on Saturday in Kempton Park, Johannesburg:
Fullbacks: Morné Joubert (KZN), Eduan Keyter (Blue Bulls), Keanu Vers (Eastern Province).
Right wings: Nazo Nkala (Griffons), Duncan Saal (DHL Western Province), Manie Libbok (SWD).
Outside centres: Barend Smit (Pumas), Cyprian Nkomo (Pumas), Markus Coetzer (Leopards).
Inside centres: JT Jackson (SWD), Tshepo Thulo (Lions), Heino Bezuidenhout (Eastern Province), Franco Naude (Blue Bulls).
Left wings: Jerry Danquah (Border), Connery Poole (Blue Bulls), Andell Loubsher (Blue Bulls).
Flyhalves: Curwin Bosch (Eastern Province), Thinus de Beer (Blue Bulls), Tristian Tedder (KZN).
Scrumhalves: Marko Janse van Vuuren (Valke), Ambrose Papier (Blue Bulls), Stephan Enslin (Pumas), Jaywin Juries (Griffons).
Number eights: Jakobus Coetzee (KZN), Junior Komela (Eastern Province), Edmund Rheeder (Leopards), Hacjivah Dayimani (Lions).
No.7 flankers: Cobus Wiese (Griquas Country Districts), Conal Brown (Boland), Victor Maruping (Free State), Arnold Gerber (Blue Bulls).
No.6 flankers: Saud Abrahams (DHL Western Province), Willem Massyn (Lions), Luigy van Jaarsveld (Eastern Province CD), Jurie Fick (Boland).
No.5 locks: Eduard Zandberg (SWD), Ruben de Villiers (DHL Western Province), Hendré Stassen (Valke), Teubus Brits (Griquas).
No.4 Locks: Jaco Willemse (DHL Western Province), Rhyno Herbst (Lions), Rikus Swart (Griquas), Ashton Fortuin (Blue Bulls).
Tighthead props: Ignatius Prinsloo (Free State), Sarel-Marco Smit (Blue Bulls), Stefan Hanekom (Griquas CD), Jakobus Tredoux (KwaZulu-Natal).
Loosehead props: Kenneth van Niekerk (KwaZulu-Natal), Ngonidzashe Chidoma (KwaZulu-Natal), Michael Kumbirai (Blue Bulls), Lupumlo Mguca (Eastern Province).
Hookers: Jan-Henning Campher (Blue Bulls), Le Roux Baard (SWD), Alandre van Rooyen (Eastern Province), Nico Peyper (Valke).
