August 07, 2013 SA Schools coach Chris October on Wednesday announced his squad to face England in their opening International Under-18 Series clash on Friday at the City Park Stadium in Cape Town.
Western Province and Paarl Gym No8 Rikus Bothma will lead the squad which features seven players who took part of the victorious SA Schools team last season. These players are the Du Preez twins, Daniel and Jean-Luc, Ox Nche, Justin Philips, Duhan van der Merwe, Warrik Gelant, Abongile Nonkontwana and Jurie Linde.
The squad boasts a fine balance of players from the traditional rugby schools in the country with Afrikaans Hoër Seuns (Affies), Outeniqua High School and Paarl Gymnasium each featuring three players.
The Paarl Gym duo of Bothma and Jacques Vermeulen, in particular, will rely on their familiarity with each other’s style of play to make their presence felt in a quality loose trio, while the powerful tight five will be determined to dominate in the scrums against the settled England side.
Among the backs Philips’ experience at this level and his effective distribution skills will be invaluable in guiding the team, while talented wings Grant Hermanus and Duhan van der Merwe both showed their ability to spot gaps and score tries at the Coca-Cola Craven Week, which could make them key figures on attack.
Looking ahead at the clash against England, October was optimistic about his team’s chances of starting the series on a high note.
He hoped the players would showcase their talent in what he anticipated would be a challenging clash. “I was impressed with the players’ attitude at training this week and we expect them to transfer that onto the field,” said October.
“But we are under no illusions about the challenge ahead. We do not know a lot about the teams we will be facing in the next few days, but we are aware of the fact that they come off a Six Nations campaign, so they have played a few matches together already. With regards to England specifically I chatted to their coach after last year’s tournament and he mentioned that this year’s team would have been together for three years, so they should be a cohesive unit.
“But that said, South Africans generally boast immense pride and we have worked hard to gel as a team, and I believe we have achieved that.
There is no doubt this match is going to be tough, but we are looking forward to it.” In the other matches Under-18 matches on Friday, Italy meet the Western Province Craven Week XV at 12h30 and France go up against Wales at 14h00.
Team:
| # | TEAM | CRAVEN WEEK | SCHOOL | DoB | W | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ox Nche | Free State | Louis Botha | 27/03/95 | 182 | 105 |
| 2 | Joseph Dweba | Lions | Florida | 25/10/95 | 174 | 105 |
| 3 | Ruan Kramer | Free State | Grey College | 03/08/95 | 185 | 117 |
| 4 | Daniel du Preez | KZN | Kearsney | 05/08/95 | 196 | 108 |
| 5 | RG Snyman | Bulls | Affies | 29/01/95 | 205 | 113 |
| 6 | PJ Toerien | Bulls | Garsfontein | 17/02/96 | 183 | 95 |
| 7 | Jacques Vermeulen | WP | Paarl Gim | 08/02/95 | 197 | 104 |
| 8 | Rikus Bothma (c.) | WP | Paarl Gim | 17/10/95 | 186 | 101 |
| 9 | Justin Phillips | Waterkloof | Bulls | 03/02/95 | 181 | 76 |
| 10 | Brandon Thomson | Pumas | Ermelo | 07/03/95 | 185 | 88 |
| 11 | Duhan vd Merwe | SWD | Outeniqua | 04/06/95 | 194 | 96 |
| 12 | Daniel du Plessis | WP | Paul Roos | 17/03/95 | 187 | 93 |
| 13 | Warrick Gelant | SWD | Outeniqua | 20/05/95 | 181 | 86 |
| 14 | Grant Hermanus | WP | Paarl Gim | 11/11/95 | 179 | 76 |
| 15 | EW Viljoen | Free State | Grey College | 09/05/95 | 192 | 93 |
| 16 | Thomas du Toit | WP | HJS Paarl | 05/05/95 | 187 | 120 |
| 17 | Francois Steyn | Bulls | Affies | 19/06/95 | 177 | 95 |
| 18 | Conraad van Vuuren | Pumas | Nelspruit | 04/09/95 | 180 | 107 |
| 19 | Abongile Nonkwantana | Bulls | St Albans | 10/04/95 | 196 | 108 |
| 20 | Jean-Luc du Preez | KZN | Kearsney | 05/08/95 | 194 | 110 |
| 21 | Marco Janse van Vuuren | Valke | Transvalia | 14/06/96 | 182 | 75 |
| 22 | Dewald Human | SWD | Outeniqua | 19/05/95 | 167 | 65 |
| 23 | Jurie Linde | Bulls | Affies | 13/03/95 | 185 | 86 |
| Thabani Mtsi | Border | Selborne | 11/01/95 | 179 | 97 | |
| Pieter Jansen | Valke | EG Jansen | 21/03/95 | 180 | 102 | |
| Refiole Rampeta | Free State | Louis Botha | 23/03/95 | 175 | 89 | |
| Leolin Zas | Boland | Hermanus | 20/10/95 | 184 | 82 | |
| Malcolm Jaer | EP | Die Brandwag | 29/06/96 | 174 | 70 |
Fixtures
| DATE | TIME | TEAM | TEAM | VENUE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09/08/13 | 12h30 | Italy | WP Schools | City Park Stadium, Cape Town | ||
| 09/08/13 | 14h00 | France | Wales | City Park Stadium, Cape Town | ||
| 09/08/13 | 15h30 | SA Schools | England | City Park Stadium, Cape Town | ||
| 13/08/13 | 14h00 | Italy | SWD Schools | Outeniqua Park, George | ||
| 13/08/13 | 16h00 | England | Wales | Outeniqua Park, George | ||
| 13/08/13 | 18h00 | SA Schools | France | Outeniqua Park, George | ||
| 17/08/13 | 12h30 | Italy | Boland Schools | Boland Stadium, Wellington | ||
| 17/08/13 | 14h00 | England | France | Boland Stadium, Wellington | ||
| 17/08/13 | 15h30 | SA Schools | Wales | Boland Stadium, Wellington |
@rugbyfan: Ha Ha very funny
@Queenian:
@Queenian: Hey you Mc Ewan boys from Tarkastad I am sure are a bit interbred with those sheep Bog is talking about.
@BOG: And they said obesity was only a problem in the USA.
@BOG: They might have to start a SA Schools “Biggest Loose” series on TV.
@BOG: Not sure whats in those Britos burgers but I will vouch for the Tarkastad mutton – home sweat home.
And they apparently require 3 buses to transport the team. Only 10 in a bus, otherwise they could get caught for overloading
@Queenian: I am told that this is the result of a diet of Britos hamburgers and Tarkastad mutton. Any truth in this?
@BOG: Snyman at 205 kg is one hell of a man I think he has a future in the WWE circuit. And the two locks are only just over 3 foot hope they using a step ladder in the lineouts.
Maybe this team should be called the “SA Fat Dwarf XV”
Verstaan f€$¥
….wat?
Verstaan daar gaan 13 van Gim se spelers betrokke wees in die reeks in verskillende spanne. Kon 14 gewees het as JD nie onttrek het nie.
@Woltrui: Thanks Wollie, captured MJvVuuren’s details alongside Thomson instead of Remu Malan so corrected now.
These players have all got a lot shorter since CW and increased in weight. The number 9 will let Ricky January look like a starved refugee, in comparison. Number 1 has been given a new meaning- only 1 player in the starting line-up?
Mr Beet. Brandon Thomsen is from the Pumas. Ermelo Hoerskool.