The Junior Springbok season will kick off in all earnest with the invitation of a big group of players to the first SA Rugby Under-20 Academy camp, which will be held at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport from 26 January to 16 February.
The U20 assembly follows on the two successful U19 camps which were held at the same venue towards the end of last year.
Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote and his coaching staff worked with a group of 48 players at SAS in November and December, with the camps laying the foundation for the identification and preparation of the next generation of Junior Springboks.
A series of training matches, including two against local university opposition, are in the pipeline to assist the U20 Academy group in their preparations for what promises to be a busy international programme. The Junior Springboks will be selected from the wider Academy squad.
The Junior Boks are set to compete in the second instalment of the Sanzaar-organised U20 Rugby Championship for southern hemisphere teams in May, as well as the World Rugby U20 Championship in June and July.
A short trip to Georgia, as part of the build-up towards the two international events, is also in the pipeline for next month and will be confirmed once all arrangements have been finalised.
Turning his attention to the U20 Academy camp, Foote explained the group will hit the ground running with a full programme of technical, tactical and fitness training planned for week one.
“Last year’s two camps were very useful and productive, and we focussed a lot on putting the fundamentals in place of what we expect from the players,” said Foote.
“We are excited to get the group together again and looking forward to the camp. This will also give us an opportunity to work with players who were not present during the two training camps held late last year.”
Foote added that its very much early days and that passage to the World Rugby Under20 Championship, to be staged in the middle of the year, is not closed to players who have, up to now, not formed part of the training squads.
“It’s an exciting time for players, and they know that a huge amount of preparation work lies ahead for what promises to be a busy season for us,” he said. “We will be targeting the set-piece and our kicking game in the first block, which is the DNA of South African rugby.”
SQUAD FOR THE FIRST CAMP IN STELLENBOSCH:
Props: Ranon Fouché (Vodacom Bulls), Jean Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Simphiwe Ngobese (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Herman Lubbe (DHL WP), Oliver Reid (DHL WP), Tebogo Nkosi (Toyota Cheetahs), Ulrich van der Merwe (Fidelity ADT Lions).
Hookers: Juandré Schoeman (Vodacom Bulls), HB Odendaal (Fidelity ADT Lions), Siphosethu Mnebelele (Vodacom Bulls).
Locks: Heinrich Theron (Vodacom Bulls), Kuhle Mthimkhulu (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Morne Venter (Fidelity ADT Lions), Riley Norton (DHL WP), Arno van der Merwe (Toyota Cheetahs), James Schnetler (Vodacom Bulls), Johan Hattingh (Fidelity ADT Lions).
Loose forwards: JJ Theron (Vodacom Bulls), Bathobele Hlekani (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Yabo Ndzamela (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Thando Biyela (Fidelity ADT Lions), Divan Fuller (DHL WP), Xola Nyali (DHL WP), Stephanus Linde (Toyota Cheetahs), Wandile Mlaba (DHL WP).
Scrumhalves: Zeke January (Vodacom Bulls), Ceano Everson (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Haashim Pead (Fidelity ADT Lions).
Flyhalves: Matthew Coetzee (Fidelity ADT Lions), Yaqeen Ahmed (DHL WP), Kyle Smith (DHL WP), JT Kapank (Vodacom Bulls).
Centres: Pieter van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls), Albie Bester (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Outside backs: Cheswill Jooste (Vodacom Bulls), Chijindu Okonta (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Scott Nel (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jaco Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gilermo Mentoe (Fidelity ADT Lions), Siya Ndlozi (DHL WP).
Utility back: Dominic Malgas (DHL WP).