SA Rugby journal circles again on the Junior Springboks who began the 2012 World Rugby U20 Championship remaining towards New Zealand in Cape City.
As South Africa prepares to host the U20 Championship for a 3rd time, have a look again on the final staff to play within the event on residence soil and win the title in an thrilling remaining towards New Zealand.
15 Dillyn Leyds
Made his debut for Western Province within the Vodacom Cup in 2013, however moved to Australia for a brief stint with the Western Pressure the next yr. A return to Cape City in 2014 noticed him make his Stormers debut in 2015 and earn his Springbok debut underneath Allister Coetzee in 2017. Moved to France in 2020 and is a double Champions Cup winner with La Rochelle, however has featured simply as soon as for the Springboks within the Rassie Erasmus period.
14 Raymond Rhule
One of many stars of the U20 marketing campaign, Rhule broke into the Cheetahs staff in 2012. After making over 50 appearances in six years for the Cheetahs, Rhule moved to the Stormers on the finish of 2017. Sadly, he by no means fairly settled on the Cape facet, whereas his Take a look at profession was affected by enjoying in a Bok staff that continuously modified defensive programs. He left South Africa after the 2018 Tremendous Rugby season for Grenoble, earlier than becoming a member of Leyds at La Rochelle in 2020, the place he additionally claimed two Champions Cup titles.
13 Kobus van Wyk
A late inclusion within the Junior Springbok squad as he joined the staff midway by the event as damage cowl for Pat Howard. The truth is, his solely look on the U20 Championship that yr got here within the remaining towards New Zealand. He performed for the Stormers and Sharks, however has had a journeyman profession abroad, from the Hurricanes, Bordeaux, and Leicester Tigers to Zebre Parma.
12 Jan Serfontein
Serfontein’s fearless performances earned him Junior World Participant of the Yr. On the Vodacom Bulls, he shaped a promising midfield partnership with Jesse Kriel, which was replicated on the Take a look at scene with the duo beginning eight Exams collectively since 2016. Nevertheless, a transfer to Montpellier in 2017 had him exiting the Springbok choice combine, regardless of his continued good kind for the French outfit, serving to them declare the 2020-21 European Problem Cup and the Prime 14 in 2022.
11 Tshotsho Mbovane
A schoolboy famous person at Paul Roos, Mbovane was climbing the rugby ladder and constructing a profitable profession – enjoying U13 Craven Week, U16 Grant Khomo, U18 Craven Week, SA Colleges, after which finally becoming a member of Paul Treu’s Blitzboks set-up out of highschool. His star saved rising after the U20 Championships. Sadly, his profession took a downward flip from there as he battled damage and off-field points. After quite a lot of years within the rugby wilderness, Mbovane was again in Langa teaching half time. He was later given a chance to search out new employment and rediscover his love for rugby by the Naka Bulls Rugby Membership in Pretoria and the Worldwide Rugby Institute in Pretoria.
10 Handre Pollard
A participant who has undoubtedly fulfilled his potential, Pollard would go on to turn into the Springboks’ first-choice flyhalf and assist the staff declare the Webb Ellis Cup in 2019. He spent seven years with the Bulls earlier than taking over a contract to affix Montpellier after the 2019 World Cup, after which shifting to Leicester Tigers within the 2022-23 Premiership season. Considered one of three gamers within the squad to win the World Cup and helped the Springboks defend their title in 2023.
9 Vian van der Watt
Performed for the Lions, Leopards, Jap Province and Boland, earlier than hanging up his boots in 2018. He at the moment works as a monetary advisor.
8 Fabian Booysen
Supplied one of many telling touches of the U20 remaining by offloading to Jan Serfontein to attain the definitive strive. Performed for UJ and Lions, making his Tremendous Rugby and Currie Cup debut in 2015. He continued to fill in for then-Lions captain Warren Whiteley, till he was launched from the Lions in 2018. Performed a season for SWD Eagles, earlier than retiring and at the moment works as a enterprise gross sales supervisor.
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit
One other future double World Cup winner, Du Toit would turn into an everyday member of the Springboks after making his Take a look at debut in 2013 towards Wales on the Millennium Stadium. Domestically, he made his debut for the Sharks earlier than becoming a member of the Stormers. He since thrived – successful three SA Rugby Participant of the Yr awards and being named 2019 World Rugby Participant of the Yr. He endured one other injury-hit run in 2020 and 2021 and determined to maneuver to Japan, becoming a member of Toyota Verblitz.
6 Wiaan Liebenberg (c)
The captain of the 2012 Junior Springboks, Liebenberg loved a memorable 2012, successful the Varsity Cup with UP-Tuks. Performed Tremendous Rugby for the Bulls, however in 2015, he was recruited by Jake White to affix his revolution at Montpellier with quite a lot of different South African gamers. After making near 50 appearances, he switched to La Rochelle in 2018. Liebenberg retired from rugby in 2022 to pursue a profession within the finance business, his remaining recreation a trophy-winning one within the 2022 Champions Cup remaining.
5 Ruan Botha
Botha would go on to make his Tremendous Rugby debut for the Lions in 2012, however returned to Cape City in 2013 to play for the Stormers and Western Province after the Lions had been relegated from Tremendous Rugby. He has since performed for the Sharks and London Irish and loved two stints in Japan with Kubota Spears, the place he at the moment performs.
4 Paul Willemse
Willemse performed in all 5 video games of the U20 Championship – scoring tries within the pool stage towards Eire and Italy. Like Botha, Willemse made his Tremendous Rugby debut for the Lions in the identical yr, however then signed for the Bulls for 2013. A yr later, Willemse accepted a big-money transfer to Grenoble and joined after the Currie Cup. He then linked up with Jake White at Montpellier in 2015 and certified to play for France in 2018 by way of the residency rule. He made his Take a look at debut for France within the 2019 Six Nations, however missed out on a spot in France’s World Cup squads in 2019 and 2023.
3 Maks van Dyk
Van Dyk was used off the bench within the matches towards Eire and England, however then began the following two video games towards Argentina and New Zealand. Broke by on the Cheetahs, however after the 2014 Currie Cup, he joined Leinster on a short-term mortgage deal. In 2016, he joined Toulouse earlier than strikes to Harlequins, Worcester Warriors and Pau adopted. Moved to the USA and performs for the Heyneke Meyer-coached Houston Sabercats.
2 Mark Pretorius
A part of a powerhouse scrum for the Junior Springboks. Performed age-grade rugby for the Lions and made his Tremendous Rugby debut in 2014 after accidents robbed the Lions of Robbie Coetzee and Malcolm Marx. Joined the SWD Eagles in 2016 and spent a yr with the staff earlier than shifting again to his hometown Nelspruit with the Pumas in 2017.
1 Steven Kitshoff
The second member of the pack who would go on to win back-to-back World Cup title, Kitshoff was marked for greatness in rugby from an early age and had already made his Tremendous Rugby debut as a teen for the Stormers in 2011. The loosehead prop has gone on to turn into a Stormers centurion and captained the staff to the inaugural Vodacom United Rugby Championship title. He joined Ulster on the finish of 2022-23, however will returned to the Stormers after a season in Belfast.
Photograph: Luke Walker/Gallo Photographs/Getty Photographs
