The excitement is building! Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote has officially unveiled his formidable 30-man squad for the highly anticipated World Rugby Under-20 Championship, kicking off in Italy from 29 June to 19 July. And what a squad it is, packed with a mix of experience, fresh talent, and future stars ready to make their mark on the global stage.
Leading the charge will be lock Riley Norton, who is handed the captain’s armband for his first appearance at this prestigious tournament – a huge vote of confidence in his leadership and skill. He’s not alone in bringing valuable experience, with utility forward Bathobele Hlekani, prop Herman Lubbe, loose forward Wandile Mlaba, and scrumhalf Haashim Pead all set for their second U20 Championship campaigns. This seasoned core will undoubtedly be crucial in navigating the pressures of international competition.
We’ll also see some exciting new faces stepping up to the Junior Bok level. Prop Phiwayinkosi Kubheka and flyhalf Ian van der Merwe are set to earn their first SA U20 caps, having previously impressed at U18 and U20 levels respectively. It’s fantastic to see the pathway yielding such promising talent.
Adding more depth to the squad are Jaco Grobbelaar (lock), Stephanus Linde (No 8), and Jaco Williams (outside back), who return after missing the recent U20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha. Linde, who toured with the Junior Boks in Georgia earlier this year, is back from injury, while Grobbelaar and Williams bring valuable experience from their time with Vodacom United Rugby Championship squads.
Perhaps most exciting for the future of South African rugby is the inclusion of six U19 players: Kubheka and his fellow prop Oliver Reid, Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker), captain Riley Norton (lock), Vusi Moyo (flyhalf), and Cheswill Jooste (outside back). This bodes incredibly well, ensuring a strong foundation for next season and beyond.
Coach Foote expressed his satisfaction with the final selection, highlighting the immense effort from everyone involved. “The boys have all been superb in their attitude and application and most of the group have been together since November last year, when the SA Under-19 Academy Programme kicked off in Stellenbosch,” he noted. He also extended his gratitude to the schools, provincial unions, and all players who contributed to the training camps and preparation.
The task of narrowing down the initial 37-player training squad to the final 30 was, understandably, a difficult one. “It was an enormously difficult task to cut the squad to 30 players and we all feel for those guys who did not make the final selection,” Foote shared. “I want to say thank you to them for their positive attitude and their great effort at all times, they will remain on standby, and we will not hesitate to call any of them up should the need arise.”
To the chosen few, his message was clear: “Congratulations to the 30 who were selected; what an honour to represent your country against the best in world.”
The squad will continue their intensive preparations in Stellenbosch before departing for Italy on 24 June. Their campaign kicks off with a bang against Australia in Calvisano on 29 June, followed by a clash with England on 4 July in Rovigo, and their final pool fixture against Scotland on 9 July, also in Calvisano.
Get ready to rally behind our Junior Boks as they aim for glory!
Junior Springbok squad for the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy:
Props: Jean Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Kubheka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Herman Lubbe (DHL Western Province), Simphiwe Ngobese (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Oliver Reid (DHL Western Province).
Hookers: Siphosethu Mnebelele (Vodacom Bulls), Jaundré Schoeman (Vodacom Bulls).
Locks: Jaco Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Riley Norton (captain, DHL Western Province), JJ Theron (Vodacom Bulls), Morné Venter (Fidelity ADT Lions).
Loose forwards: Thando Biyela (Fidelity ADT Lions), Bathobele Hlekani (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wandile Mlaba (DHL Western Province), Xola Nyali (DHL Western Province), Matt Romao (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Stephanus Linde (Toyota Cheetahs).
Scrumhalves: Ceano Everson (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Haashim Pead (Fidelity ADT Lions), Erich Visser (Toyota Cheetahs).
Flyhalves: Vusi Moyo (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ian van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls).
Centres: Albie Bester (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gino Cupido (DHL Western Province), Demitre Erasmus (Vodacom Bulls), Dominic Malgas (DHL Western Province).
Outside backs: Cheswill Jooste (Vodacom Bulls), Gilermo Mentoe (Fidelity ADT Lions), Siya Ndlozi (DHL Western Province), Jaco Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
South Africa’s Pool A fixtures:
- Sunday, 29 June: Junior Boks vs Australia U20 – Stadio San Michele (Calvisano)
- Friday, 4 July: Junior Boks vs England U20 – Stadio Mario Battaglini (Rovigo)
- Wednesday, 9 July: Junior Boks vs Scotland U20 – Stadio San Michele (Calvisano)
Playoffs:
- Monday, 14 July: Semi-finals (Verona and Viadana)
- Saturday, 19 July: Final and ranking matches (Calvisano and Rovigo)
