Junior Springboks welcome new faces as they prepare for World Championship

The camp kicks off in Stellenbosch on Monday, bringing fresh excitement as the squad works towards finalising their lineup for the prestigious tournament set for next month.

Among the three fresh faces included in this squad are Rambo Kubheka, a loosehead prop, Shaun Schürman, a hooker, and Ian van der Merwe, who will bring his talents as a flyhalf. Foote expressed optimism for their imminent contributions, highlighting their recent performances in the South African U21 competitions.

“Rambo, who played for the SA U18s last year, has been doing very well for the Hollywoodbets 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,” Foote noted.

In addition to the fresh faces, a host of familiar names returning from injury and domestic league commitments will bolster the Junior Springboks’ ranks. Locks Jaco Grobbelaar and Arno van der Merwe, No 8 Stephanus Linde, and outside backs Jaco Williams and Alzeadon Felix will rejoin the squad after spells on the sidelines or commitments in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.

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

However, the camp will proceed without hooker HB Odendaal, lock Neil Hansen, and flankers Divan Fuller and Matt Romao, who have all been ruled out due to injuries. On a more positive note, fullback JC Mars is expected to join the squad once he recovers from a hamstring niggle.

Over the next three weeks, the Junior Springboks will engage in intensive training sessions, culminating in their departure for Italy on 24 June. In a bid to fine-tune their preparation, two match simulation exercises against the senior Kenyan side are scheduled for 9 and 14 June in Stellenbosch. Foote views these encounters as crucial stepping stones to success.

“We’re a very settled team now, with some guys coming back from injury,” Foote observed. “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.”

With the foundation laid through previous experiences, including a tour to Georgia and the South African U20 Rugby Championship, Foote remains optimistic about the squad’s growth. Despite facing tough lessons against teams like Australia and New Zealand, he believes the Junior Springboks are on the right track. “Although we didn’t get the results we wanted, we’ve taken a lot of good learnings from those experiences, and we feel we are very close to where we want to be,” Foote said.