DHL Western Province’s Salmaan Moerat will start at lock against England in the World Rugby U20 Championship semifinal on Tuesday in the only change to Junior Springbok starting team that defeated Argentina last Thursday.
Moerat replaces Hendre Stassen, who is nursing a knee injury, and he will pair up with Ruben van Heerden in the engine room.
He joins fellow DHL Western Province players Carlű Sadie, Ernst van Rhyn, Juarno Augustus, Damian Willemse, Daniel Jooste, Lee-Marvin Mazibuko and Muller Uys in the matchday squad.
There are two changes among the replacements with prop Mazibuko replacing Wikus Groenewald, who has the flu, while Reinhard Nothnagel will provide back-up for Moerat and Van Heerden.
“We looked at England’s strengths and we think these are the best combinations for us for the semifinal,” Roux said about his team selection.
Roux said he is expecting a physical onslaught from England, who are the defending champions, but added his team’s focus was on delivering a quality performance to advance to the final.
England defeated Ireland 45-21 in the Final of the 2016 edition of the tournament in Manchester to win the competition.
“This is a big game for us,” said Roux.
“England are a physical side and they are full of confidence. They are the defending champions as well. But that said, our plans are in place as a team and we just need to go out there and execute it.”
The semifinal will be hosted at the M. Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi at 16h00 (SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport 1 (Channel 201). New Zealand will face France in the second semifinal, which starts at 18h30 (SA time).
Junior Springboks team to face England in the World Rugby U20 Championship semifinal:
15 Manie Libbok (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
14 Yaw Penxe (EP Kings)
13 Wandisile Simelane (Xerox Golden Lions)
12 Damian Willemse (DHL Western Province)
11 Gianni Lombard (Xerox Golden Lions)
10 Curwin Bosch (Cell C Sharks)
9 Embrose Papier (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
8 Juarno Augustus (DHL Western Province)
7 Ernst van Rhyn (captain – DHL Western Province)
6 Len Massyn (Xerox Golden Lions)
5 Ruben van Heerden (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
4 Salmaan Moerat (DHL Western Province)
3 Carlű Sadie (DHL Western Province)
2 Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
1 Kwenzo Blose (Toyota Free State)
Replacements:
16 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
17 Daniel Jooste (DHL Western Province)
18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko (DHL Western Province)
19 Reinhard Nothnagel (Xerox Golden Lions)
20 Muller Uys (DHL Western Province)
21 Francois de Villiers (Cell C Sharks)
22 Stedman Gans (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
23 Jeanluc Cilliers (Xerox Golden Lions)