Excitement as SA Under-18 International Series get underway

The coaches have laid out their plans, the squads are settled in and all of SA Schools, SA Schools A, Argentina, England, France and Wales are ready for the U18 International Series that will kick off at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch on Friday, 9 August.

The highly successful series is celebrating a decade of delivering the next generation of stars and the 2019 version will be no different, as the best age-group players of the respective countries takes to the field.

On Friday, SA Schools A will take on France in the opening match at the Markotter Sports Fields, while England and Argentina will clash before the SA Schools team round off the day with their international against Wales.

The U18 International Series continues in Paarl on Tuesday 13 August and conclude at in Wellington on Saturday, 17 August.

SA Schools captain and hooker, Jacques Goosen, said they are very keen to get going and test themselves against Wales, a team they hold in high regard.

“We have settled in nicely and everyone is very keen to get going,”said Goosen, who hails from Selborne College in East London.

“We came together nicely as a squad and the guys are ready to go out and execute on our plans. Wales are a tough side, I recall that last year we only managed a win in the last minute of play. So we are taking nothing for granted. We just want to go out and enjoy the moment of playing for our country.”

The SA Schools A side will be keen to keep the enjoyment factor in mind in their match against France, said their No 8 and captain, Jarod Cairns. It will be a memorable day for the loose forward, who hails from Paul Roos Gymnasium and will be leading the side at his alma mater.

“We are all very proud to be selected for sure, said Cairns.

“We want to play to the best of our ability and enjoy the honour of playing for your country. We have plans in place on how we want to play and will try and do that. This is a great opportunity also to learn from and experience the playing styles from the opponents and we are looking forward to the match-up of our skills against theirs.”

The SA Schools team to play Wales:

15. Zeilinga Strydom (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Garsfontein)

14. Keane Galant (Boland / HTS Drostdy)

13. Henco van Wyk (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Monument)

12. Tyler Bocks (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)

11. Tharquinn Manuel (DHL Western Province / HS Stellenberg)

10. Kean Meadon (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)

9. Jurich Claasens (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Garsfontein)

8. George Cronje (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College)

7. Jarrod Taylor (Border / Selborne College)

6. Keketso Morabe (Thepa Trading Griffons / Welkom Gymnasium)

5. Dylan de Leeuw (DHL Western Province / Paul Roos Gymnasium)

4. Simon Miller (Assupol Blue Bulls / St Albans)

3. Blaine Golden (Cell C Sharks / Glenwood HS)

2. Jacques Goosen (Border / Selborne College; captain)

1. Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College)

Replacements:

16. Andre Venter (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College)

17. Okuhle Siyeni (Cell C Sharks / Westville Boys High)

18. Sibusiso Shongwe (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Jeppe Boys High School

19. Wandile Hlope (Cell C Sharks / Maritzburg College)

20. Siyemukela Ndlovu (Cell C Sharks / Northwood HS)

21. Dylan Alexander (DHL Western Province / Paarl Gymnasium)

22. Boldwin Hansen (Boland / HS Hermanus)

23. Mntungwa Mapantsela (Border / Selborne College)

24. Quan Horn (Western Province / Paarl Boys High)

25. Gideon van Wyk (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)

26. Connor Evans (DHL Western Province / Bishops)

The South Africa Schools A side to play France:

15. Sibusiso Javu (Border / Selborne College)

14. Joseph Iye (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / King Edward School)

13. Jacques Rossouw (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)

12. Sihlalo Benge (Border / Queens College)

11. Indiphile Tyeda (Border / Dale College)

10. Jordan Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks / Glenwood HS)

9. Daimon O’Connell (Border / Selborne College)

8. Jarod Cairns (DHL Western Province / Paul Roos Gymnasium, c)

7. Izan Esterhuizen (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Monument)

6. Josh van Vreden (Border / Selborne College)

5. Marco van Rhyn (DHL Western Province / Paarl Gymnasium)

4. Sisonke Vumazonke (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College)

3. Philip Masango (DHL Western Province / Wynberg Boys High)

2. Jacques-Lois du Toit (Assupol Blue Bulls / Afrikaans Boys HS)

1. Rynhardt Rijnsburger (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High)

Replacements:

16. Teague Loelly (Cell C Sharks / Westville Boys High).

17. Dimakatso Lebelo (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Waterkloof)

18. Gerhard van der Merwe (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Garsfontein)

19. Raynard Roets (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Garsfontein)

20. Pierich Siebert (DHL Western Province / Paarl Gymnasium)

21. Kabelo Mokheti (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Jeppe Boys High)

22. Nsuku Baloyi (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Menlo Park)

23. Sonwabo Sokoyi (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College)

24. Cornelus Rahl (South Western Districts / Oakdale HS)

25. Renzo du Plessis (Unitrans Limpopo Blue Bulls / HS Ben Vorster)

Fixtures: U18 International Series at Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch

SA Schools A vs France U18

Kick-off: 13h00

Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)

England U18 vs Argentina U18

Kick-off: 14h30

Referee: Divan Uys (SA Rugby)

SA Schools vs Wales U18

Kick-off: 16h00

Referee: Pali Deluca (Argentina)

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