Junior Boks call up Rambo

Loosehead prop Rambo Kubheka is one of three newcomers and several returnees included by head coach Kevin Foote in the latest Junior Springbok training squad.

The Junior Boks’ final preparation camp for the World Rugby U20 Championship next month in Italy starts in Stellenbosch on Monday.

Foote welcomes back locks Jaco Grobbelaar and Arno van der Merwe, No 8 Stephanus Linde and outside backs Jaco Williams and Alzeadon Felix from injury and Vodacom URC duty, respectively, in addition to Kubheka, hooker Shaun Schurman and flyhalf Ian van der Merwe.

“Rambo, who played for the SA U18s last year, has been doing very well for Sharks in the SA Rugby U21 Cup, while Shaun and Ian, a very good game driver and left-footed kicker, have also been in good form for the Vodacom Bulls U21s,” said Foote.

“Jaco Grobbelaar, who played for the Junior Boks last year, is back from his URC duty with the Bulls and will join us in week two, and Stephanus, who toured with us to Georgia earlier this year, returns after he picked up a knee injury in the Varsity Cup.

“It’s also good to welcome back from injury Jaco Williams, who has been training with the Sharks’ URC team, Alzeadon Felix, who had a good Varsity Cup campaign, and Arno van der Merwe.”

Foote also revealed that HB Odendaal (hooker), Neil Hansen (lock), Divan Fuller (flanker) and Matt Romao (flanker) have been ruled out due to injury, while JC Mars (fullback) will join the squad as soon as he has shrugged off a hamstring niggle.

The Junior Boks will train for the next three weeks before the 30-man squad travel to Italy on 24 June for the U20 Championship. Two training sessions against a visiting senior Kenyan side form part of the schedule as the squad step up their readiness for Italy.

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According to Foote, the meetings with Kenya will be match simulation exercises, with the first set for 9 June and the second one five days later on 14 June, both in Stellenbosch.

“We’re a very settled team now, with some guys coming back from injury and unfortunately some players being injured whilst on duty for their provinces in the SA Rugby U21 Cup,” said Foote.

“We’ve kept the core of the squad together for a long time now; they’re a great team off the field and have a good connection, which we think is very important for us going into the World Championship, also understanding how we want to play and our game model.

“There has been a lot of work done over the last few camps, including the tour to Georgia and the U20 Rugby Championship. Although we didn’t get the results against Australia and New Zealand in Gqeberha, we’ve taken a lot of good learnings from those experiences, and we feel we are very close to where we want to be.

“We still have a couple of things to work on, and we will work very hard indeed to make sure we are prepared and ready when we leave for Italy.”

Foote said he and his coaching staff are looking forward to working with the squad and see the Kenya meetings as a key part of the preparations: 

“We will work with a 37-player squad until after the two sessions against Kenya. Following that, we will be working with the selected 30-man squad in the last week of the training camp before our departure to Italy on 24 June.”

Junior Springbok training squad:
Props: Simphiwe Ngobese (Sharks), Ranon Fouche (Bulls), Oliver Reid (WP), Rambo Kubheka (Sharks), Jean Erasmus (Bulls), Tebogo Nkosi (Cheetahs), Herman Lubbe (WP).
Hookers: Juandre Schoeman, Siphosethu Mnebelele, Shaun Schurmann (all Bulls).
Locks: Jaco Grobbelaar (Bulls), Riley Norton (WP), Arno van der Merwe (Cheetahs), Morne Venter (Lions), JJ Theron (Bulls), Zuko Phoswa (WP).
Loose forwards: Xola Nyali (WP), Thando Biyela (Lions), Batho Hlekani (Sharks), Stephanus Linde (Cheetahs), Wandile Mlaba (WP).
Scrumhalves: Haashim Pead (Lions), Ceano Everson (Sharks), Erich Visser (Cheetahs).
Flyhalves: Vusi Moyo (Sharks), Ian van der Merwe (Bulls).
Centres: Albie Bester (Sharks), Demitre Erasmus (Bulls), Gino Cupido (WP).
Outside backs: Jaco Williams (Sharks), Siya Ndlozi (WP), Cheswill Jooste (Bulls), Gilermo Mentoe, Alzeadon Felix (both Lions), Scott Nel (Sharks).
Utility back: Dominic Malgas (WP).

Photo: @SAJuniorRugby/Twitter