Norton leads Junior Boks in opening U-20 rugby champs clash vs Pumas
Junior Boks coach Kevin Foote named a team bristling with power among the forwards and pace to burn in the backline for a tough opener against Los Pumitas at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (4.10pm).
In the early game on Thursday, defending champions New Zealand face Australia (kickoff 2pm).
'South Africans pride themselves on their set piece and we have worked hard on that in training,' Norton said at Tuesday''s team announcement.
Riley Norton to captain Junior Boks against Pumitas
Former SA U18 lock and national age-group cricketer Riley Norton will captain the Junior Springboks against Argentina in the opening round of the Rugby Championship U20 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium https://t.co/Mrd9yI3H7k pic.twitter.com/fDz8YrVKjs
— SA Sports Press (@SAsportspress) April 30, 2025
'Assistant coach Johann Ackermann has come back from Japan and has been helping us in the forwards.
'We back our maul and scrum and we also have great pace in the backs.
'If the ball can get out wide, we have some dangerous players there such as Gino Cupido, who can get around people.'
The Junior Bok starting XV includes Norton, Wandile Mlaba, a member of the 2024 squad, and 2024 SA Schools and SA U-18 captain Sethu Mnebelele among the forwards.
The backs feature exciting players such as Blitzbok Cupido and Cheswill Jooste on the wings and Kyle Smith at flyhalf.
Foote said his team had a good time preparing for the opening clash in Gqeberha.
'The weather is great and our hosts have been fantastic, which has given us a lot of energy in our training,' he said.
'What stands out for me is the intent and joy of the players. The smiles on their faces tell me they are confident, excited and see this opportunity to represent our country as a huge privilege.'
Foote said eagerness and competition among squad members had made selection a tough exercise.
'Our squad selection for this first game was difficult because there are so many talented guys, which speaks volumes about our depth.
'We've decided on a more settled pack. There's only one change in the pack from our last training match against Hamiltons, with our captain Norton coming into the starting line-up after a slight injury.'
Foote said this showed the forwards had momentum and he mentioned the synergy they had shown against Hamiltons would give them a good platform upfront, while the backs also excited the coach.
'Among our backs, we have welcomed back Haashim Pead at scrumhalf with his experience. Like Riley, he also had a niggle, which was why he didn't play in the last training match.
'There's also Gino, who comes into the squad after making his Blitzbok debut recently, and JC Mars is also included.'
The team received a surprise visit from Eastern Cape premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, who welcomed them to the region.
'As the Eastern Cape government and all the people of this proud province, we are honoured to host this prestigious Sanzaar event, bringing together the future stars of rugby from across the southern hemisphere to the Home of Legends,' Mabuyane said.
'This tournament is more than just rugby, it is an investment in our youth, a boost to our economy and a powerful symbol of the Eastern Cape's growing reputation as a world-class sporting destination as well as its capability to host world-class events.'
Junior Springbok team:
15 Gilermo Mentoe, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Demitre Erasmus, 12 Albie Bester, 11 Gino Cupido, 10 Kyle Smith, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Wandile Mlaba, 7 Matt Romao, 6 Thando Biyela, 5 JJ Theron, 4 Riley Norton (capt), 3 Simphiwe Ngobese, 2 Sethu Mnebelele, 1 Oliver Reid.
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