There are two reasons why Josh Gouws of Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool is undoubtedly an interesting selection in the Bulls u18A line-up to face the Valke on Tuesday, 2 June, on the Loftus outfield.
Two Josh Gouws’
There are, in fact, two Josh Gouws’ in the Bulls u18A squad. That was always a possibility given that Garsfontein flyhalf Josh Gouws entered the season as the top-rated player in the province in his position, while Affies’ Josh Gouws returned as an established Witbul 1st XV player from 2025 — something that immediately placed him in the category of elite young talent.
Rugby has delivered plenty of examples of players sharing the same name over the years.
If you watched rugby in the 1980s, you will probably remember Schalk Burger at lock and Schalk Burger Junior on the flank for WP.
More recently, there was Cobus “Baywatch” Grobbelaar alongside Cobus Grobler in the same Lions team.
Only ever in the same New Zealand A team together, but certainly in the same Super Rugby era, there was Crusaders centre Mark Robinson, who later became NZR CEO, and Mark “Sharky” Robinson, the scrumhalf who represented the Blues among other sides. Both were All Blacks.
From a school rugby perspective, one of the best examples of two players sharing the exact same name came at EG Jansen in 2017 and 2018, when two front-row players packed down alongside each other, both named Dian Coetzee.
The Affies Conundrum
It may not immediately look that way on paper, but one cannot help feeling that Affies had three outside backs with genuine claims for selection in this Bulls u18A group, with Josh Gouws ultimately getting the nod. In a target-free environment, there is a strong argument that all three might well have found themselves in the squad.
Gouws’ versatility probably won the day. He has enjoyed an outstanding campaign on the wing before recently shifting to fullback, initially to provide cover for the injured Kyle van Staden.
His wing partner in crime for a good deal of the season, Dandre Brink, has been phenomenal, made even more impressive by the fact that he is still u17. The only thing seemingly standing between him and being regarded as the best in the country is his teammate, the explosive, tackle-busting X-factor of Dehan Botha.
Botha made a relatively late start to the season but has produced the sort of freak-of-nature impact that places him alongside recent strong-on-their-feet, collision-dominating schoolboy stars such as Jurenzo Julius, Pieter van der Merwe, Ethan Adams and Markus Muller.
Botha has been an exceptional game-breaker and if you are looking to win matches and challenge for titles, he is exactly the sort of player who demands consideration for selection.
As expected, though, competition is fierce in several positions, and they are certainly not the only two players who may feel they had a legitimate case to be included at the premier youth week event.
| Bulls u18A | Bulls u18B | ||||||
| 1 | Andre van Wyk | 1 of 8 Garsfontein | 1 | Francois de Beer | 1 of 6 Affies | ||
| 2 | Charl Els | 1 of 4 Affies | 2 | Reagan Blignaut | 1 of 4 Zwartkop | ||
| 3 | Ruben Lombard | 2 of 8 Garsfontein | 3 | Reinhardt Duvenhage | 1 of 4 Waterkloof | ||
| 4 | JJ Fourie | 3 of 8 Garsfontein | 4 | Alex Muller | 2 of 6 Affies | ||
| 5 | Martin van Niekerk | 2 of 4 Affies | 5 | Reubenne Vlok | 3 of 6 Affies | ||
| 6 | Stefan vd Vyver | 4 of 8 Garsfontein | 6 | Wandile Mbate | 1 of 1 St Alban’s | ||
| 7 | Mbala Ndima | 1 of 2 Pretoria BH | 7 | Phillip Mans | 2 of 4 Waterkloof | ||
| 8 | Almero Gerritsen | 1 of 1 Waterkloof | 8 | Caleb Pretorius | 4 of 6 Affies | ||
| 9 | Fourie Roberts | 3 of 4 Affies | 9 | Ethan Williams | 5 of 6 Affies | ||
| 10 | Joshua Gouws | 5 of 8 Garsfontein | 10 | Michael Bhuda | 1 of 2 Oos-Moot | ||
| 11 | Mendriano Abrahams | 1 of 2 Menlopark | 11 | Waylin Papier | 2 of 4 Zwartkop | ||
| 12 | Dylan Stumke | 2 of 2 Menlopark | 12 | David van Jaarsveld | 3 of 4 Zwartkop | ||
| 13 | Thabiso Simelane | 1 of 1 St Alban’s | 13 | Meyer Pretorius | 3 of 4 Waterkloof | ||
| 14 | Yuvrah George | 6 of 8 Garsfontein | 14 | Neo Ledwaba | 1 of 1 Garsfontein | ||
| 15 | Drewyn Baron | 7 of 8 Garsfontein | 15 | Alex Griessel | 4 of 4 Waterkloof | ||
| 16 | Riyaan Wilson | 1 of 2 Oos-Moot | 16 | Shawn Maobelo | 1 of 1 Montana | ||
| 17 | Thando Telelo | 2 of 2 Oos-Moot | 17 | Esihle Mhlongo | 1 of 1 Heronbridge | ||
| 18 | Maka Kumadeka | 1 of 1 Cornwall Hill | 18 | Reando Fourie | 1 of 2 Menlopark | ||
| 19 | Disintle Onyeari | 1 of 1 Overkruin | 19 | Matimu Maluleke | 1 of 1 Pretoria BH | ||
| 20 | Luan Wepener | 1 of 2 Zwartkop | 20 | Duran Pieterse | 2 of 2 Menlopark | ||
| 21 | Garrith Warrie | 2 of 2 Zwartkop | 21 | Tilon Baron | 4 of 4 Zwartkop | ||
| 22 | Ofentse Matlebjane | 2 of 2 Pretoria BH | 22 | Kealan Cloete | 1 of 1 Wilgers | ||
| 23 | Ruan Fluks | 8 of 8 Garsfontein | 23 | Keagan Fourie | 6 of 6 Affies | ||
| 24 | Joshua Gouws | 4 of 4 Affies | 24 | ||||
| Bulls u18C | Bulls u17A | ||||||
| 1 | Morne Bisset | 1 of 6 Affies | 1 | Tawana Mahita | 1 of 2 St Alban’s | ||
| 2 | Stiaan Theron | 1 of 5 Waterkloof | 2 | Hendré Ehlers | 1 of 8 Affies | ||
| 3 | Hannes Nagel | 2 of 6 Affies | 3 | Liam de Jager | 2 of 8 Affies | ||
| 4 | Jethro le Roux | 1 of 1 Zwartkop | 4 | Zinyemba Matthew | 2 of 2 St Alban’s | ||
| 5 | Jaap Stolp | 1 of 2 Menlopark | 5 | SW Potgieter | 1 of 3 Garsfontein | ||
| 6 | Hugo Dercksen | 2 of 5 Waterkloof | 6 | Rossouw Scheepers | 3 of 8 Affies | ||
| 7 | Luhan Bitser | 3 of 6 Affies | 7 | Chaden Dartnell | 1 of 1 Eldoraigne | ||
| 8 | Janno Geyser | 4 of 6 Affies | 8 | Dewald van Wyk | 1 of 1 Menlopark | ||
| 9 | Nicholas Potgieter | 3 of 5 Waterkloof | 9 | Kassie Lebelo | 2 of 3 Garsfontein | ||
| 10 | Liam Schutte | 4 of 5 Waterkloof | 10 | Ruben Smith | 4 of 8 Affies | ||
| 11 | Neil de Kock | 1 of 5 Garsfontein | 11 | Vokosi Ndlovu | 1 of 2 Pretoria BH | ||
| 12 | Keagan Knighton | 2 of 5 Garsfontein | 12 | Rico du Plessis | 5 of 8 Affies | ||
| 13 | Estiaan Marx | 5 of 6 Affies | 13 | Dandré Brink | 6 of 8 Affies | ||
| 14 | Dehan Botha | 6 of 6 Affies | 14 | Nthando Malobola | 3 of 3 Garsfontein | ||
| 15 | Euken Meyers | 3 of 5 Garsfontein | 15 | Tyrese Adams | 1 of 1 Oos-Moot | ||
| 16 | Lindokhule Ndivinduwe | 1 of 1 Zayo | 16 | Emmanuel Honono | 2 of 2 Pretoria BH | ||
| 17 | Branden Bradford | 4 of 5 Garsfontein | 17 | Wian Hentzel | 1 of 2 Waterkloof | ||
| 18 | Matt Kleingeld | 5 of 5 Garsfontein | 18 | Zian Slabbert | 7 of 8 Affies | ||
| 19 | Blessing Khula | 1 of 1 Rietondale | 19 | Brian Joubert | 2 of 2 Waterkloof | ||
| 20 | Amonthle Nthlateng | 1 of 1 HTS Tuine | 20 | Kwetsima Dlamini | 1 of 1 PBHS | ||
| 21 | Jacques Janse van Rensburg | 5 of 5 Waterkloof | 21 | Amakhle Kilan | 1 of 1 Centurion | ||
| 22 | LJ Vaugh | 1 of 1 Oos-Moot | 22 | Joshua Kekana | 1 of 1 Wonderboom | ||
| 23 | Kholofelo Mahlake | 1 of 1 Curro Hazeldean | 23 | Kyle Pienaar | 8 of 8 Affies | ||
| 24 | Robin Stassen (1) | 1 of 1 Midstream | 24 | ||||
| 25 | Tiaan Boshoff (8) | 2 of 2 Menlopark | 25 | ||||
| Bulls U17B | |||||||
| 1 | Mvelo Sibissi | Curro Hazeldean | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Obakeng Rametsi | St Alban’s | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Kyle van Schalkwyk | Montana | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Marius Venter | Waterkloof | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Xavier Martin | Pretoria BH | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Carlo Brits | Waterkloof | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Dewald van Wyk | Menlopark | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Judah le Roux | Zwartkop | 8 | ||||
| 9 | Dean Wilbers | Garsfontein | 9 | ||||
| 10 | Caleb Africa | Rietondale | 10 | ||||
| 11 | Mashego Mabuto | Pretoria BH | 11 | ||||
| 12 | Lemarc Henry | Garsfontein | 12 | ||||
| 13 | Danie Botma | Menlopark | 13 | ||||
| 14 | Nico Klein | Wilgers | 14 | ||||
| 15 | Kyle van Staden | Affies | 15 | ||||
| 16 | Tehan Maree | Midstream | 16 | ||||
| 17 | Daniel Prefa | Rietondale | 17 | ||||
| 18 | Sinawo Stengana | Oos-Moot | 18 | ||||
| 19 | Thabane Phasha | St Alban’s | 19 | ||||
| 20 | Zipho Mtyhobile | Rietondale | 20 | ||||
| 21 | Ezra Mosikara | Rietondale | 21 | ||||
| 22 | Renaldo Klein | Rietondale | 22 | ||||
| 23 | Ruvan Burger | Zwartkop | 23 |
Questions from the W/A group for up north?
Why is Dehan Botha in the C-team? He is a match winner/game breaker and must be in the A-team!
The C- team backline may very likely dominate the B-team and in some positions the A-team?
Why are the selectors taking so long to select their teams? Almost all the teams in especially the so called “top” provinces were announced, but not the Bulls and Lions. What possible can the selectors learn by taking another 2 to 3 weeks or so to finalise the teams?
If the selectors – by now – don’t know who the best teams are, should they consider resigning, or not?
Dis my laaste post oor Bulls CW en CW en SAS skole. Almal weet wat is die Bulls se elephant in the room. Ek sal net uit die 4 Oos skole n span saam stel wat die WP baie opdraand sal gee. Dis sonder die talent wat daar moet wees buite die 4 wat ek nooit sien speel het nie.
U17 A TEAM
As dit die Bulls se A span by CW gaan wees dal dit maar sukkel sukkel gaan.
Ek sou Dehan Botha eerste kies en dan die res
@TheGoose (Comment #2)
Sorry I had another bash at it with the standout Dandre Brink shown correctly in the u17A team.
Picked at 13 ahead of Danie Botma with Rico du Plessis shifting to 12 compared with where he does such good work for AHS at 13.
Next year will be interesting again. Du Plessis is tops but so is Botma.
With your glowing assessment of Dandre Brink it seems crazy that he didn’t even make the U17 team.
Lyk vir my op papier asof die 18c span sterker as die 18B span is…baie interessant