Junior Boks coach Kevin Foote has beefed up his pack for Friday’s second and final clash against Georgia in Tbilisi.
Loosehead prop Oliver Reid and hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele are recalled as the SA U20s look to back up their 35-0 victory in the first encounter.
Reid and Mnebelele. who sat out that match as a precaution, were part of last year’s Junior Boks squad that lifted the World Rugby U20 Championship trophy in Italy and bring valuable experience to the set-piece.
While the backline remains largely unchanged, Zekhethelo Siyaya comes in at fullback after missing the first game through illness, with Dylan Miller shifting to the bench.
There is also a reshuffle in the loose trio, with Kebotile Maake starting at No 8 and Wasi Vyambwera named alongside Luke Canon.
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“We are very pleased to welcome Ollie and Esethu back into the starting XV,” said Foote. “They are vital members of our leadership group who understand the standards we set for the Junior Boks jersey.
“While the guys who stepped in last Sunday did an admirable job keeping a clean sheet, having that experience back in the ‘engine room’ provides us with the extra layer of composure and technical grit essential in a tough environment like Tbilisi.”
Despite the convincing scoreline last week, Foote admitted there were areas that needed urgent attention.
“While the 35-0 scoreline was a great start, the second half was a real arm-wrestle where we lost some of our clinical edge and discipline.
“We’ve spent the last few days in our reviews and on the training pitch specifically addressing those issues. The players have been incredibly honest about their shortcomings – especially regarding the penalty count – and we’ve worked hard on ensuring our set-piece dominance translates into sustained pressure.”
Georgia, renowned for their set-piece power and mauling strength, are expected to respond with a fierce physical challenge.
“We aren’t under any illusions. We expect Georgia to come out even harder in this final clash,” said Foote.
“They are a well-drilled, proud, and incredibly physical side. Sunday showed us that they never stop fighting, particularly in the mauls.
“We are anticipating a massive physical onslaught, but this is exactly why we are here – to test our resilience and fine-tune our systems under extreme pressure in the same environment where the Junior World Championship will take place in a few months’ time.”
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JUNIOR SPRINGBOKS – 15 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 14 Lindsey Jansen, 13 Markus Muller, 12 Ethan Adams, 11 Jordan Steenkamp, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Hendré Schoeman, 8 Kebotile Maake, 7 Mumbere “Wasi” Vyambwera, 6 Luke Canon, 5 Riley Norton (c), 4 Heinrich Theron, 3 Danie Kruger, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Oliver Reid.
Bench: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Kubheka, 18 Kai Pratt, 19 JD Hattingh, 20 Risima Khosa, 21 Luan Giliomee, 22 Samuel Badenhorst, 23 Dylan Miller.
Photo: @SAJuniorRugby/X
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