Mass changes for junior Boks
The SA Under-20 training squad to face Argentina Under-20 on Tuesday shows thirteen changes from the starting XV that won their tour opener on Saturday evening.
Tomorrow's rugby match will kick-off at 23.00 SA time and will also be played in Corrientes. The South African youngsters are in Argentina as part of their final preparations for the forthcoming Junior World Championship in France.
Inside centre Justin Geduld and lock Dennis Visser are the only two players in the team that also started on Saturday.
The speedy Seabelo Senatla, a Springbok Sevens teammate of Geduld, will run out at left wing while 2012 JWC winner Handre Pollard was selected in the flyhalf position. Pollard is also understudy to Ruan Steenkamp who will captain the team from the side of the scrum.
Steenkamp scored two tries on Saturday in the heavy and wet conditions of Corrientes.
Lock Jannie Stander, flyhalf Robert du Preez and fullback Sylvian Mahuza were included on the bench after starting on Saturday. The last clash of the three-match tour will be played this coming Saturday in Buenos Aires.
SA U20 coach Dawie Theron attributed the many changes to their rotation policy.
"We want to give every squad member a chance to play on tour. I am pleased with the overall result of our first game, but we know that the Pumas will come with an even bigger onslaught on Tuesday," explained Theron.
He cautioned his team will not be able to afford another slow start again their hosts.
"They will make it extremely difficult for us again right from the start so we will have to concentrate and get into our stride from early on," he said.
Junior Springboks: 15 Jacques Rossouw, 14 Tyler Fisher, 13 Justin Geduld, 12 Dries Swanepoel, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Hanco Venter, 8 Johan Meyer, 7 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Ruan Steenkamp (captain), 5 Dennis Visser, 4 Irne Herbst, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Fred Kirsten, 17 Andrew Beerwinkel, 18 Jannie Stander, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Stefan Ungerer, 21 Robert du Preez, 22 Sylvian Mahuza, 23 Neethling Fouche.
