Junior Springbok head coach Dawie Theron announced his 28-man squad, on Tuesday, that will do battle at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Manchester, England.
Eastern Province centre Jeremy Ward will captain the side, while his provincial team-mate Junior Pokomela and 2015 SA Schools captain, Western Province second-rower Ernst van Rhyn, have been named as vice-captains.
The squad features two players who were members of the Junior Springbok squad in Italy last year, centre JT Jackson and scrum-half Marco Jansen van Vuren.
Nine members of the SA Schools team that featured in the U18 International Series in South Africa last year have also been included.
They are centre Stedman Gans, pivots Manie Libbok and Curwin Bosch, scrum-half Embrose Papier, locks Ruben de Villiers and Van Rhyn, loose forwards Cobus Wiese and Zain Davids as well as prop Carlü Sadie.
The Junior Boks will kick off against Japan on June 7 at the Academy Stadium, before taking on Argentina four days later at the AJ Bell Stadium, and round their pool matches off against France on June 15 at the Academy Stadium.
“It is always challenging to name a squad of only 28 players, especially if one considers the immense talent at junior level in South Africa, but we have selected the best possible team for the World Rugby U20 Championship,” Theron said in an official SA Rugby press release.
“JT and Marco were members of our touring squad last year, and they will be able to guide the other players in terms of what to expect, while we are lucky to have nine players in the squad who have played against some of the northern hemisphere teams in the Under-18 International Series.
“Unfortunately injuries ruled a few players out of contention, and I feel for them.
“But nevertheless I am pleased with the squad we have selected and I believe they have potential to challenge the best teams in the showpiece.
“This team offers something different to the sides we have selected in the past, and we are excited by the prospects these players offer.”
Among the players who were ruled out of contention for selection due to injury were Golden Lions lock Rhyno Herbst, while Western Province prop Wikus Groenewald and Blue Bulls utility forward Hendre Stassen are both nursing ankle injuries.
The team will play their first warm-up match on Friday in Johannesburg against the Golden Lions U19 and U21 teams.
This will be followed by clashes against Maties in Stellenbosch on May 17 and the SWD Eagles in Oudtshoorn on Saturday May 21, with the team set to depart for the England on June 2.
South Africa U20 squad: Tango Balekile, Kwenzo Blose, Curwin Bosch, Jan-Henning Campher, Zain Davids, Ruben de Villiers, Stedman Gans, James Hall, Denzel Hill, Jaco Holtzhausen, JT Jackson, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Manie Libbok, Mosolwa Mafuma, Franco Naude, S’busiso Nkosi, Nicolaas Oosthuizen, Embrose Papier, Junior Pokomela, Carlü Sadie, Eli Snyman, Franco van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Ernst van Rhyn, Keanu Vers, Jeremy Ward, Cobus Wiese, Eduard Zandberg
Eastern Province centre Jeremy Ward will captain the side, while his provincial team-mate Junior Pokomela and 2015 SA Schools captain, Western Province second-rower Ernst van Rhyn, have been named as vice-captains.
The squad features two players who were members of the Junior Springbok squad in Italy last year, centre JT Jackson and scrum-half Marco Jansen van Vuren.
Nine members of the SA Schools team that featured in the U18 International Series in South Africa last year have also been included.
They are centre Stedman Gans, pivots Manie Libbok and Curwin Bosch, scrum-half Embrose Papier, locks Ruben de Villiers and Van Rhyn, loose forwards Cobus Wiese and Zain Davids as well as prop Carlü Sadie.
The Junior Boks will kick off against Japan on June 7 at the Academy Stadium, before taking on Argentina four days later at the AJ Bell Stadium, and round their pool matches off against France on June 15 at the Academy Stadium.
“It is always challenging to name a squad of only 28 players, especially if one considers the immense talent at junior level in South Africa, but we have selected the best possible team for the World Rugby U20 Championship,” Theron said in an official SA Rugby press release.
“JT and Marco were members of our touring squad last year, and they will be able to guide the other players in terms of what to expect, while we are lucky to have nine players in the squad who have played against some of the northern hemisphere teams in the Under-18 International Series.
“Unfortunately injuries ruled a few players out of contention, and I feel for them.
“But nevertheless I am pleased with the squad we have selected and I believe they have potential to challenge the best teams in the showpiece.
“This team offers something different to the sides we have selected in the past, and we are excited by the prospects these players offer.”
Among the players who were ruled out of contention for selection due to injury were Golden Lions lock Rhyno Herbst, while Western Province prop Wikus Groenewald and Blue Bulls utility forward Hendre Stassen are both nursing ankle injuries.
The team will play their first warm-up match on Friday in Johannesburg against the Golden Lions U19 and U21 teams.
This will be followed by clashes against Maties in Stellenbosch on May 17 and the SWD Eagles in Oudtshoorn on Saturday May 21, with the team set to depart for the England on June 2.
South Africa U20 squad: Tango Balekile, Kwenzo Blose, Curwin Bosch, Jan-Henning Campher, Zain Davids, Ruben de Villiers, Stedman Gans, James Hall, Denzel Hill, Jaco Holtzhausen, JT Jackson, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Manie Libbok, Mosolwa Mafuma, Franco Naude, S’busiso Nkosi, Nicolaas Oosthuizen, Embrose Papier, Junior Pokomela, Carlü Sadie, Eli Snyman, Franco van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Ernst van Rhyn, Keanu Vers, Jeremy Ward, Cobus Wiese, Eduard Zandberg
