Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote has wielded the selection axe with purpose, making a raft of rotational and injury-enforced changes to his match-23 ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Fiji at Wynberg Boys’ High School in Cape Town.
Also read: Baby Boks’ fluid philosophy floods Chile defence in 97-point masterclass
The 15h00 kick-off represents a significant step up in class from last Thursday’s 97-0 demolition of Chile, with the physical and unpredictable Fijians lying in wait after their opening-round defeat to Georgia.
Injury blows force reshuffle
Foote’s hand has been forced in the loose-forward department where captain Risima Khosa and Vuyo Gwiji have both been ruled out through minor injuries. The pair, who were instrumental in the Chilean rout at Rondebosch Boys’ High School, make way for Quintin Potgieter and Luke Cannon in the starting XV, whilst Luan Olivier joins the replacements bench.
Watch: The Rugby Factory with Markus Muller and Quintin Potgieter
Flyhalf Vusi Moyo inherits the captaincy armband and will be tasked with steering the Baby Boks around the park against a Fijian side renowned for their counter-attacking prowess and offloading wizardry.
A foot niggle has also sidelined prop Kai Pratt, with Oliver Reid stepping up to provide front-row cover amongst the replacements for the Wynberg encounter.
Rotational tinkering in the backline
Beyond the injury-enforced absences, Foote has rung the changes in the backline as part of his broader squad management strategy. Jordan Steenkamp displaces Lindsey Jansen on the left wing, whilst fit-again midfielder Christian Vorster returns at outside centre where he’ll partner Pieter van der Merwe.
Blitzboks international Luan Giliomee makes a welcome return at fullback, his versatility and sevens pedigree adding an X-factor to the Junior Boks’ counter-attacking arsenal. Alzeadon Felix drops to the bench to provide cover.
“We said from the outset that we will use this tournament to give playing opportunities to those who did not feature regularly in the recent U20 Rugby Championship, and our rotational decisions are based on that,” Foote explained.
Fijian threat looms large
Fiji may have fallen to Georgia in their tournament opener, but their first-half performance served notice of the threat they pose with ball in hand. Foote is under no illusions about the challenge awaiting his charges.
“We all know the Fijians are dangerous with ball in hand; they have excellent ball and offload skills and can hurt you from turnover possession,” warned the Junior Bok mentor. “Our task will be to stick to our fundamentals, trust our set piece and kicking game, and be very solid on defence.”
The South Pacific islanders possess that innate ability to conjure tries from nothing, a single handling error or missed tackle can prove catastrophic against opposition with their skill set and attacking instincts.
Return of the wounded
Foote also welcomed the return of several players from the treatment room, with Giliomee, Vorster and Van der Merwe all having worked tirelessly to regain match fitness.
“Luan, Christian, and Pieter (who returned last week) worked hard to get back from injury. Their teams did an excellent job in getting them back into match-ready condition, for which we are very grateful, and we are excited to see them in action again,” said Foote.
The squad concluded their preparations with a captain’s run in Stellenbosch on Monday morning before heading to Cape Town for the Wynberg showdown.
Both Tuesday’s fixtures, Chile versus Georgia kicks off at 13h00 before the Junior Boks take centre stage – will be broadcast live on YouTube, giving the Springbok faithful a chance to watch the next generation in action.
Junior Springbok team to face Fiji:
15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Jade Muller, 13 Christian Vorster, 12 Pieter van der Merwe, 11 Jordan Steenkamp, 10 Vusi Moyo (captain), 9 Jayden Brits, 8 Luke Cannon, 7 Gert Kemp, 6 Quintin Potgieter, 5 JD Hattingh, 4 Jaythen Orange, 3 Luan van der Berg, 2 Mahle Sithole, 1 Jordan Jooste
Replacements: 16 Altus Rabe, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Bongani Dlamini, 19 Thomas Beling, 20 Luan Olivier, 21 Jandrian Goosen, 22 Alzeadon Felix, 23 Akhahluwa Boqwana
