Five members of last year’s Junior Springbok squad were included in the 31-player touring group for the inaugural Under-20 Rugby Championship in Australia, that was announced by SA U20 head coach Bafana Nhleko.
Damian Markus will earn a first start for the Junior Springboks against England on Friday, while SA U20 head coach Bafana Nhleko was also forced to make a few changes due to injuries for their World Rugby U20 Championship third place playoff at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.
SA U20 captain Paul de Villiers says there are no external pressures on them to reach the final when they meet Ireland in the World Rugby U20 Championship semi-finals at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday.
The national junior rugby programme will resume after Easter with the intake of 36 promising players who will attend the SA Rugby Academy, based in Stellenbosch.
SA Rugby has announced the competition structure for the remainder of the 2022 rugby season, during which the Currie Cup First Division will expand to include teams from Zimbabwe and Kenya.
Amajita advanced to the Cosafa Cup U20 Championship semi-final after thumping Swaziland 4-0 in their final Group B encounter on Saturday. (more…)