Junior Springboks coach Dawie Theron made his first move in defending the Junior World Championship title his side won in June by naming an extended training squad for the 2013 IRB tournament, to be played in France.
Vodacom Blue Bulls and DHL Western Province players provide the bulk of the squad, having dominated the Absa Under-19 Provincial Championship this year, which also included Jan Serfontein, the IRB JWC Player of the Tournament and SA Under-20 Player of the Year.
Theron did not call-up any players currently writing their matric exams, thus ruling out a number of outstanding players from the SA Under-18 team, including JWC winning flyhalf Handrè Pollard.
Fellow JWC Junior Bok gold medal winner Marvin Orie was included amongst the forwards, with two Springboks Sevens players, Ruwellyn Isbell and Cheslin Kolbe, also roped in to attend the Stellenbosch camp that will be held from 9-12 November 2012.
“It is still early days, but I am very excited about this squad,” said Theron. “This will be a first step towards France in June and a lot can happen before then, but it will be good to get the squad together and start moulding them.
“We will no doubt look at those things that worked for us this year and look at how that compliments the strengths of this new group. The camp will be exciting as we’ll get new energy and ideas as well as lot of new faces.”
Trials will form part of the training camp, Theron confirmed.
“A lot of these players played to a particular structure in the last couple of months and it will be interesting to see how they react to new structures and playing partners,” Theron said.
The training squad is:
Fullbacks: Jacques Rossouw (Blue Bulls), Sean Robinson (KZN), Cheslin Kolbe (DHL WP)
Wings: Ruwellyn Isbell (Blue Bulls), Seabelo Sanata (Toyota Free State), Kotaro Matsushima (KZN), Sylvian Mahuza (Leopards), JP Lewis (DHL WP).
Centres: Jan Serfontein (Blue Bulls), Jade Stighling (Blue Bulls), Burger Odendaal (Blue Bulls), Harold Verster (MTN Golden Lions), Tyler Fisher (KZN), Henko Marais (Leopards), Justin Geduldt (DHL WP).
Flyhalves: Francois Tredoux (Blue Bulls), Robert du Preez (KZN), Tim Swiel (DHL WP).
Scrumhalves: Carlo Engelbrecht (Blue Bulls), Kefentse Mahlo (Blue Bulls), KK Hlungwane (Toyota Free State), Percy Williams (MTN Golden Lions), Hanco Venter (KZN), Stefan Ongerer, Jean Nel (DHL WP).
Loose Forwards: Clyde Davids (Blue Bulls), Jacques du Plessis (Blue Bulls), Leneve Damens (Blue Bulls), Roelof Smit (Blue Bulls), Ruan Steenkamp (Blue Bulls), Tienie Burger (Toyota Free State), Kwagga Smit (MTN Golden Lions), Andrew van Tonder (KZN), Justin Benn (DHL WP), Jurie van Vuuren (DHL WP).
Locks: Dennis Visser (Blue Bulls), Irnè Herbst (Blue Bulls), Marvin Orie (Blue Bulls), Myles Tucker (KZN), Andrew Bekker (DHL WP).
Props: Andrew Beerwinkel (Blue Bulls), Jan Enslin (Blue Bulls), Justin Forwood (Blue Bulls), Neethling Fouchè (Blue Bulls), Luan de Bruin (Toyota Free State), Marne Coetzee (KZN), Sti Sithole (DHL WP).
Hookers: Jacques du Toit (Toyota Free State), Mornè du Plessis (KZN), Freddie Kirsten (DHL WP).