Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux has made 12 changes to the SA U19 lineup for their second match against Georgia U19 in Tbilisi on Thursday.
Roux, who is guiding the SA U19 team on their tour to Georgia, only retained three players – Muzi Manyike, Stravino Jacobs and Werner Gouws – in the run-on XV.
Of the trio, only Jacobs was selected in the same position he played in on Monday. Manyike shifts from right wing to fullback and Gouws moves from blindside flank to No 8.
Right wing Keenan Twigg, centres Diego Appollis and Rynhardt Jonker, who also takes over the captaincy, flyhalf Ethan Wentzel and scrumhalf Thomas Bursey are the new additions to the backline.
Up front, Gouws is joined by Morne Brandon and Thabo Ndimande in the loose trio, Dylan de Leeuw and Werner Coetzee form the new second-row partnership and in the all-new front row Siphekahle Dube, Jason Alexander and Thabiso Mdletshe start in tandem.
‘We made several changes to ensure that every player gets a chance to play. Some of the players will start a match in the green and gold for the first time, so it will be a big occasion for them. We also have expanded the bench, so we will make changes through the course of match,’ Roux explained.
Roux expects Georgia to stick to the strengths that had them produce a competitive showing in their opening encounter.
‘They will front up physically and produce strong scrums and lineouts once again.
‘What I would like from our team, though, is to play more attacking rugby. That said, we have had very little time to prepare, so the players will have to play the situations on the field.
‘Once again it is important to note this is an opportunity to assess the players and see where we are in terms of the U19 group, who will be U20 next year. We intend sitting down with the players after this tour to discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and the areas they need to work on during the off-season, as we will only see one another again in March.’
SA U19 – 15 Muzi Manyike, 14 Keenan Twigg, 13 Diego Appollis, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Ethan Wentzel, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Werner Gouws, 7 Morne Brandon, 6 Thabo Ndimande, 5 Dylan de Leeuw, 4 Werner Coetzee, 3 Siphekahle Dube, 2 Jason Alexander, 1 Thabiso Mdletshe.
Subs: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Benele Mthenjane, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Adrian Alberts, 20 Jaden Hendrikse, 21 Juan Mostert, 22 Lunga Ncube, 23 Lindo Ncusane, 24 Dewald Donald, 25 Willem Steenkamp, 26 Dawid Kellerman, 27 Zwelendaba Mnombo, 28 Cohen Jasper, 29 Bernard van der Linde.
Photo: @JuniorBoks/Twitter
