The Junior Springboks will face Ireland with an unchanged match day squad in the first semi-final of the World Rugby U20 Championships at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday afternoon.
The Mastercard Golden Lions Women, Cell C Sharks Women, EP Queens and Boland Dames will be in a mad scramble for the fourth spot on the Women’s Premier Division log and a potential semi-final position as the action continues this weekend, with the playoffs moving into view.
The Blue Bulls claimed a big win over the Golden Lions, while there were further victories for the Griffons and Border on day four of the SA Rugby U18 Craven Week at Outeniqua Park in George on Thursday.
The South African Under-18 Sevens team to participate at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago next month has been named.
Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones has named four uncapped players in his squad to face the Springboks in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship opening round.
Eastern Province and Western Province maintained their unbeaten records, while there were wins for the hosts, South Western Districts, and Free State on the third day of the SA Rugby U18 Craven Week at Outeniqua Park in George.
Junior Springbok head coach Bafana Nhleko said the tough route into the semi-finals of the World Rugby U20 Championship will benefit his squad going into Sunday's playoff encounter against Ireland.
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber was forced to make a late change to his team for their opening Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies in Pretoria on Saturday with prop Steven Kitshoff replacing Ox Nche, who suffered an injury to his pectoral muscle on Tuesday.
South African Rugby Union president Mark Alexander has passed on the heartfelt condolences of the whole South African rugby community to the Oliver family and the Irish Rugby Football Union and its World Rugby Under-20 Championship team, following a paragliding accident that led to the death of Mr Greig Oliver on Monday.
The Junior Springboks secured their place in the semi-finals of the World Rugby U20 Championship with a superb second half performance by grinding out a 24-16 victory over Argentina on a cold and windy night at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.