Regular captain Riley Norton is back in the Junior Springboks starting XV for their final U20 International Series encounter against Georgia U20 in Stellenbosch on Saturday.
The match will take place at Paul Roos Gymnasium’s Markötter Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 2:30pm, before Chile and Fiji face off from 4:30pm. Both matches will be broadcast live on YouTube.
Norton is back in the team after missing the opening match against Chile U20 because of his involvement at the Springbok alignment camp. He resumes the captaincy in one of several changes to the side that secured an emphatic 82-25 victory over Fiji on Tuesday.
Vusi Moyo will start his third consecutive game at flyhalf after a prolific showing in the opening two rounds, where he slotted 22 conversions and marshalled his backline impressively. Luan Giliomee is also preferred with another start at fullback after scoring a hat-trick of tries against Fiji.
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Operating in the midfield next to Moyo will be Yaqeen Ahmed and Samuel Badenhorst, both of whom excelled in the Junior Boks’ successful U20 Rugby Championship campaign a few weeks ago in Gqeberha.
In the loose trio, Quintin Potgieter and Luke Cannon are once again included in the starting line-up. Potgieter shifts to No 8, while Cannon moves to the side of the scrum. Oliver Reid, previously used off the bench, get the nod as one of the two starting props in the reshuffled front row.
Several players who had starting roles in the first two matches, including lock JD Hattingh, loose forward Gert Kemp, scrumhalf Jayden Brits, centre Pieter van der Merwe and fullback Alzeadon Felix, are set to make an impact from the bench against the Georgians.
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Apart from rotation, the Junior Boks have been forced into several changes due to a number of injury concerns. Prop Jordan Jooste, lock Jaythen Orange, centre Christian Vorster and wing Jade Muller all sustained niggles against Fiji and were not considered for selection.
They join an injury list that includes hooker Esethu Mnebelele, prop Kai Pratt, loose forwards Wasi Vyambwera, Vuyo Gwiji and Risima Khosa, centres Ethan Adams and Markus Muller, wing Cheswill Jooste and fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya, all of whom are currently undergoing rehabilitation.
JUNIOR SPRINGBOKS – 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Jack Benade, 13 Samuel Badenhorst, 12 Yaqeen Ahmed, 11 Khuthadzo Rashivaga, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Hendre Schoeman, 8 Quintin Potgieter, 7 Luke Cannon, 6 Kebotile Maake, 5 Riley Norton (c), 4 Heinrich Theron, 3 Danie Kruger, 2 Liam van Wyk, 1 Oliver Reid.
Bench: 16 Mahle Sithole, 17 Rambo Kubheka, 18 Luan van der Berg, 19 JD Hattingh, 20 Gert Kemp, 21 Jayden Brits, 22 Pieter van der Merwe, 23 Alzeadon Felix.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
The post Riley returns to lead Junior Boks appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Regular captain Riley Norton is back in the Junior Springboks starting XV for their final U20 International Series encounter against Georgia U20 in Stellenbosch on Saturday.
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