New additions to the squad that toured Georgia:
Jordan Jooste, Jaythen Orange, Thomas Beling, Jayden Brits, Olunje Mehlomakulu, Jack Benade, Jade Muller, Cheswill Jooste
Out of that named tour squad for Georgia:
Sibabalwe Booi, Mahle Sithole, James Schnetler, Reuben Kruger, Matthew Fick, Luan Giliomee, Christian Vorster, Dylan Miller, Jordan Steenkamp
u20 Rugby Championship 2026 from 22 April – 9 May 2026 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha
| # | POS | NAME | SCHOOL | UNION | A/G |
| 1 | PR-L | Oliver Reid | 1 of 4 Paul Roos | 1 of 11 WP | u20 |
| 2 | PR-L | Phiwayinkosi Khubeka | 1 of 2 Maritzburg College | 1 of 8 Sharks | u20 |
| 3 | PR-L | Kai Pratt | 1 of 1 Oakdale | 2 of 8 Sharks | u19 |
| 4 | PR-T | Danie Kruger | 1 of 5 Grey College | 1 of 11 WP | u20 |
| 5 | PR-L | Jordan Jooste | 1 of 1 Paarl BH | 2 of 11 WP | u19 |
| 6 | HK | Esethu Mnebelele | 1 of 5 KES | 1 of 7 Bulls | u20 |
| 7 | HK | Liam van Wyk | 3 of 5 Grey College | 3 of 8 Sharks | u20 |
| 8 | LK | Heinrich Theron | 3 of 5 Grey College | 2 of 7 Bulls | u20 |
| 9 | LK | Riley Norton | 2 of 4 Paul Roos | 3 of 11 WP | u20 |
| 10 | LK | JD Hattingh | 1 of 2 Affies | 1 of 6 Lions | u20 |
| 11 | LK | Jaythen Orange | 1 of 2 Wynberg | 2 of 6 Lions | u19 |
| 12 | N8 | Kebotile Maake | 2 of 5 KES | 3 of 7 Bulls | u20 |
| 13 | LF | Risima Khosa | 2 of 3 Jeppe | 3 of 6 Lions | u20 |
| 14 | LF | Mumbere Vyambwera | 2 of 2 Maritzburg College | 4 of 8 Sharks | u19 |
| 15 | LF | Luke Cannon | 2 of 3 Jeppe | 4 of 6 Lions | u20 |
| 16 | LF | Gert Kemp | 3 of 4 Paul Roos | 4 of 11 WP | u19 |
| 17 | LF | Thomas Beling | 3 of 5 KES | 4 of 7 Bulls | u19 |
| 18 | SH | Hendre Schoeman | 2 of 2 Affies | 5 of 7 Bulls | u20 |
| 19 | SH | Jayden Brits | 1 of 1 Boland Landbou | 5 of 11 WP | u19 |
| 20 | FH | Yaqeen Ahmed | 2 of 2 Wynberg | 6 of 11 WP | u20 |
| 21 | FH | Vusi Moyo | 4 of 5 KES | 5 of 8 Sharks | u20 |
| 22 | CT | Markus Muller | 1 of 1 Paarl Gim | 7 of 11 WP | u19 |
| 23 | CT | Ethan Adams | 4 of 5 Grey College | 5 of 6 Lions | u19 |
| 24 | CT-O | Samuel Badenhorst | 4 of 4 Paul Roos | 8 of 11 WP | u20 |
| 25 | CT | Olunje Mehlomakulu | 5 of 5 KES | 9 of 11 WP | u20 |
| 26 | CT/WG | Khuthadzo Rasivhaga | 3 of 3 Jeppe | 6 of 8 Sharks | u20 |
| 27 | WG | Lindsey Jansen | 2 of 3 Noordheuwel | 6 of 7 Bulls | u20 |
| 28 | WG | Jack Benade | 1 of 1 SACS | 10 of 11 WP | u20 |
| 29 | FB | Jade Muller | 2 of 3 Noordheuwel | 1 of 1 Cheetahs | u20 |
| 30 | FB | Akahluwa Boqwana | 1 of 1 Durban HS | 6 of 6 Lions | u20 |
| 31 | FB | Alzeadon Felix | 5 of 5 Grey College | 7 of 8 Sharks | u20 |
| 32 | WG | Cheswill Jooste | 3 of 3 Noordheuwel | 7 of 7 Bulls | u20 |
| 33 | FB | Zekhethelo Siyaya | 1 of 1 Westville | 8 of 8 Sharks | u19 |
Former Squad Members 2025-2026
| # | POS | NAME | SCHOOL | UNION | A/G |
| 1 | PR-T | Ruan Smuts | 1 of 2 Affies | 1 of 4 Cheetahs | u20 |
| 2 | PR-T | JG Badenhorst | 1 of 3 Grey College | 2 of 4 Cheetahs | u19 |
| 3 | LK | JP Lombaard | 1 of 2 Helpmekaar | 1 of 8 Bulls | u20 |
| 4 | LK | AJ Meyer | 2 of 3 Grey College | 1 of 9 WP | u19 |
| 5 | LF | Alutha Wesi | 1 of 3 Rondebosch | 2 of 9 WP | u20 |
| 6 | LF | Franko Rossouw | 1 of 1 Secunda | 2 of 8 Bulls | u20 |
| 7 | N8 | Vuyo Gwiji | 1 of 1 Northwood | 1 of 6 Lions | u20 |
| 8 | SH | Denilo Jordaan | 1 of 1 Pearson | 1 of 1 Dbn V Coll | u20 |
| 10 | CT-I | Pieter vd Merwe | 3 of 3 Grey College | 3 of 8 Bulls | u20 |
| 11 | FB | Reinhardt Viljoen | 1 of 2 Oakdale | 2 of 6 Lions | u19 |
| 12 | WG | Aidan Bester | 1 of 1 Noordheuwel | 1 of 1 Saldanha RFC | u19 |
| 14 | CT-I | Janco Purchase | 2 of 2 Affies | 1 of 4 Sharks | u20 |
| 15 | PR-T | Ulrich vd Merwe | 2 of 2 Helpmekaar | 2 of 4 Sharks | u20 |
| 16 | LK | Tom Barnard | 2 of 3 Rondebosch | 3 of 9 WP | u20 |
| 17 | SH | Brooklyn Newman | 1 of 2 Garsfontein | 4 of 8 Bulls | u20 |
| 19 | LF | Adan da Costa | 1 of 1 Wynberg | 4 of 9 WP | u20 |
| 20 | SH | Elgernon Meyer | 1 of 1 Outeniqua | 3 of 6 Lions | u20 |
| 21 | FB | Unathi Mlotshwa | 1 of 1 Westville | 5 of 8 Bulls | u20 |
| 22 | PR-L | Aphiwe Shelembe | 1 of 1 Michaelhouse | 6 of 8 Bulls | u20 |
| 23 | CT-O | Gregan Jansen | 1 of 1 Duineveld | 3 of 4 Sharks | u20 |
| 24 | CT/WG | Adriano Jackson | 1 of 2 Durban HS | 4 of 6 Lions | u20 |
| 25 | PR-T | Henry du Plessis | 1 of 4 Paul Roos | 5 of 9 WP | u20 |
| 26 | LF | Bohlala Mapisa | 1 of 1 Maritzburg College | 3 of 4 Cheetahs | u20 |
| 27 | SH | Adeeb Boraine | 2 of 4 Paul Roos | 6 of 9 WP | u20 |
| 4 | PR-T | Sibabalwe Booi | 1 of 1 Ndzondelelo | 4 of 4 Cheetahs | u20 |
| 8 | HK | Mahle Sithole | 2 of 2 Durban HS | 5 of 6 Lions | u20 |
| 10 | LK | James Schnetler | 2 of 2 Garsfontein | 6 of 6 Lions | u20 |
| 18 | N8 | Reuben Kruger | 3 of 4 Paul Roos | 7 of 9 WP | u20 |
| 19 | SH | Matthew Fick | 1 of 1 St Charles | 7 of 8 Bulls | u20 |
| 22 | FH | Luan Giliomee | 1 of 1 Charlie Hofmeyr | 4 of 4 Sharks | u20 |
| 25 | CT | Christian Vorster | 2 of 2 Oakdale | 8 of 8 Bulls | u19 |
| 27 | WG/FB | Dylan Miller | 3 of 3 Rondebosch | 8 of 9 WP | u20 |
| 30 | WG | Jordan Steenkamp | 4 of 4 Paul Roos | 9 of 9 WP | u19 |
With Muller now seemingly called up to the Stormers squad for the Glasgow game this weekend, we’ll probably see Adams at 12 and Badenhorst at 13 on Monday.
@Snelvuur (Comment #8)
Do we have any idea how long Mnebelele is out for? Would be a big loss if it’s for the Junior WC as well. Agreed though great opportunity now for Sithole and van Wyk
@Bungee (Comment #9)
Are there better looking girls or is he just thirsty?
@Overlooked lad (Comment #7)
Purchase bigger surprise, as I’ve heard from the rumour mill that da Costa has become a regular at Brauhaus in Stellenbosch, even though he is in UCT!
See Mnebelele is out and has been replaced with Mahle Sithole. I was hoping Altus Rabe might get a call-up, but it’s a fantastic opportunity for Mahle – straight shootout between him and Liam van Wyk for the second hooker spot in the WC squad.
Wow suprising Janco purchase and Aden da costa didn not make the squad even with currie cup experince
And finally, congrats to GC and KES on their 5 players each in the squad! That takes some doing.
F@Bungee (Comment #4) I know it is way premature, but it seems we also already have a very exciting group forming for next years team: 1. Pratt (Jooste) 2. Rabe 3. van den Berg (Badenhorst) 4. Meyer 5. Orange 6. xxx 7. Vyambwera 8. Kemp 9. Brits (Goosen) 10. xxx 11. Steenkamp 12. Adams (Vorster) 13. Muller 14. Stuart (Bester) 15. Siyaya (Viljoen)
Others that were included in the extended practice squad before this squad was announced that are not on the list:| TH-P Luan van den Berg (Garsfontein) (Bulls) (o19) TH-P Bongani DLamini (DHS) (Bulls) (o20) TH-P Cecil Parsons (Bethlehem Voorstrekkers) (Lions) (o20) HK – Altus Rabe (PRG) (Stormers) (o19) LF – Luann Olivier (Garsfontein) (Sharks) (o20) LF – Sibusiso Mahlangu (DHS) (Cheetahs) (o20) SH – Jandrian Goosen (Oakdale) (o19) CT – Winton Abrahams (Klerksdorp) (Cheetahs) (o20) WG – Junaide Stuart (Garsfontein) (Bulls) (o19)
@Kaya 85 (Comment #1)
@Vleis (Comment #2)
He was selected for AW but drafted into the Lions CW team last minute as an injury replacement if memory serves. Happy for Mehlomakulu, he was a TAG Foundation kid and is all heart – tackles like a demon!!
@Kaya 85 (Comment #1) Yes, he made the AW as a lock in 2024, if memory serves. Last year, he played Varsity Cup for Wits, which was a big step up.
Thomas Beling’s star has risen … He didn’t make SA Schools did he…nor CW if I remember? At school he was lock.