Liam Koen begins as one in every of three uncapped gamers within the Junior Springboks lineup for his or her U20 Championship opener towards Fiji at Cape City Stadium on Saturday.
Koen, the son of former Springbok flyhalf Louis Koen, companions scrumhalf Asad Moos in a new-look halfback pairing.
In the meantime, Luca Bakkes will make his run-on debut and packs down within the entrance row between props Ruan Swart and captain Zachary Porthen. Exterior again Likhona Finca is about to make his debut off the bench.
In any other case, the remainder of the Junior Boks have a settled look with the remainder of the beginning lineup and replacements consisting of gamers who participated within the latest U20 Rugby Championship in Queensland, Australia.
The beginning XV has 5 modifications and a positional change from the run-on facet that beat Argentina within the final Rugby Championship match on the Sunshine Coast Stadium in Queensland, whereas there are a number of tweaks among the many reserves.
Other than Bakkes’ inclusion within the entrance row instead of Juan Smal, there’s additionally a change at No 4 lock, with Thomas Dyer sitting out due to a niggle and the versatile Bathobele Hlekani strikes from the facet of the scrum to second row with JF van Heerden.
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Thabang Mphafi, who performed off the bench towards Argentina U20s, fills Hlekani’s place at No 7 flank, with Siba Mahashe (No 6) and Tiaan Jacobs (No 8) the remainder of the free forwards.
The one different backline change sees Michail Damon in at fullback, instead of Bruce Sherwood who donned the No 15 jersey of their earlier match.
Head coach Bafana Nhleko mentioned the staff has labored exhausting over the previous week and labored on the teachings from the Rugby Championship in Australia, and they’re prepared to fulfill the problem of Fiji this week.
“We had an excellent holding camp in Stellenbosch final week and, since our transfer to our event base in Inexperienced Level on Tuesday, the main focus has been on fine-tuning preparations,” the pinnacle coach mentioned.
“Fiji are a staff with threats all around the park, large robust boys with wonderful balls abilities and harmful with ball in hand. You might want to be on it for 80 minutes, focus clever, to cope with their threats.
“For us, it’s about excelling in our fundamentals, sustaining our strengths round taking part in from set piece and being ready to make the precise choices when there are alternatives. The contact space behaviours will probably be key on either side of the ball.” Nhleko mentioned.
The match is the primary of three Pool C matches for the Junior Boks, whose different group video games are towards Argentina and England.
In the meantime, the squad additionally needed to make three replacements due to latest accidents. Prop Reno Hirst, lock Adam de Waal and fullback JC Mars will all miss the Championship by harm.
Hirst damage his knee; De Waal has been dominated out with a hip harm whereas concussion means Mars will miss not less than the primary two matches. Their replacements are Herman Lubbe (prop, WP), Jaco Grobbelaar (lock, Vodacom Bulls) and Hassiem Pead (fullback, WP).
“It’s unlucky when accidents occur particularly for guys like Adam and Reno, who labored so exhausting (from earlier accidents) to present themselves a shot on the competitors, however it’s a part of the sport, we want them a speedy restoration,” mentioned Nhleko.
“JC might nonetheless characteristic later within the competitors and probably, has subsequent yr as properly. In the identical breath, it’s nice to welcome Hassiem again to the squad and Jaco, who missed the Australia tour attributable to harm – congratulations to each and we’re excited to see their progress.”
Junior Springboks – 15 Michail Damon, 14 Joel Leotlela, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Joshua Boulle, 11 Litelihle Bester, 10 Liam Koen, 9 Asad Moos, 8 Tiaan Jacobs, 7 Thabang Mphafi, 6 Sibabalwe Mahashe, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Bathobele Hlekani, 3 Zachary Porthen (c), 2 Luca Bakkes, 1 Ruan Swart.
Subs: 16 Juan Smal, 17 Liyema Ntshanga, 18 Casper Badenhorst, 19 Keanu Coetsee, 20 Divan Fuller, 21 Ezekiel Ngobeni, 22 Tylor Sefoor, 23 Likhona Finca.
Photograph: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Pictures
