SA U20s team to face Georgia

Junior Springbok flyhalf Damian Willemse will make his first appearance of the season for the SA U20’s in a settled starting team when Chean Roux’s charges meet Georgia in their opening match of the World Rugby U20 Championship at Stade Aimé Giral in Perpignan on Wednesday.

Willemse, one of seven players in the match-day squad who participated in the tournament in Georgia last year, will partner with Zak Burger at halfback after coming off a solid Super Rugby campaign for the  Stormers in the last few months.

Lock and captain Salmaan Moerat, centre Wandisile Simelane, No 8 Muller Uys, fullback Gianni Lombard, hooker Daniel Jooste and replacement scrumhalf Rewan Kruger are the other players in Roux’s match-23 who featured in the international spectacle in Tbilisi.

Junior Springbok team to face Georgia:

15 – Gianni Lombard (Xerox Golden Lions)

14 – Tyrone Green (Xerox Golden Lions)

13 – Wandisile Simelane (Xerox Golden Lions)

12 – Rikus Pretorius (DHL Western Province)

11 – Sihle Njezula (DHL Western Province)

10 – Damian Willemse (DHL Western Province)

9 – Zak Burger (Cell C Sharks)

8 – Muller Uys (DHL Western Province)

7 – PJ Steenkamp (Xerox Golden Lions)

6 – Dian Schoonees (Xerox Golden Lions)

5 – Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

4 – Salmaan Moerat (captain – DHL Western Province)

3 – Sazi Sandi (DHL Western Province)

2 – Daniel Jooste (DHL Western Province)

1 – Nathan McBeth (Xerox Golden Lions)

Replacements:

16 – Schalk Erasmus (DHL Western Province)

17 – Alulutho Tshakweni (Eastern Province)

18 – Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Xerox Golden Lions)

19 – Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Western Province)

20 – Ruan Vermaak (Xerox Golden Lions)

21 – Rewan Kruger (Toyota Free State)

22 – Lubabalo Dobela (Toyota Free State)

23 – Lyle Hendricks (DHL Western Province)