Ex schoolboy stars in Junior Boks training squad

Two 2016 schoolboy prodigies‚ centre Wandisile Simelane and flyhalf Damian Willemse‚ were included in a provisional 50-man SA under-20 training squad on Tuesday.

Simelane played SA Schools in 2015 and 2016 and was one of the stars of last year’s Craven Week with his pace‚ step‚ power and an accurate boot as the Golden Lions qualified for the final against Western Province.

Simelane scored 65 points in three matches at Craven Week.

• New faces in Springbok training campAllister Coetzee on Monday named new faces such as Stormers flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis and Lions hooker Akker van der Merwe in a Springbok training squad for a camp next week.  

Willemse‚ though‚ was probably the stand out performer at the week and is also in the Stormers squad during Super Rugby this season.

He starred as WP beat the Lions 27-20 in the final.

There are four other 2016 SA Schools players in the group‚ including captain and lock Salmaan Moerat‚ Gianni Lombard‚ Manuel Rass and Muller Uys.

• 'Hey‚ s**t happens in rugby,' says Feeney after Stormer lose star centreThe Stormers have taken a philosophical approach to losing star centre Damian de Allende for at least three months to an ankle injury and are seeing it as an opportunity for youngsters to step up. 

Other players included are current Sharks fullback Curwin Bosch‚ who was one of the stars of the 2016 Junior Boks‚ as well as eight other players from the 2016 team that came fourth at the World Championships.

Last month a total of 86 players were invited to two assessment camps in Pretoria and Stellenbosch‚ where the players participated in a series of speed and strength tests and underwent medical screening.

The first training camp will be in Stellenbosch from 5 to 17 March.

The squad will then be trimmed to 28 players in April for the international showpiece‚ which kicks off in May.

“This is a talented group of players‚ and we can’t wait to start the real hard work in the lead-up to the World Rugby U20 Championship‚” said Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux.

“The players who were selected really worked hard‚ which is very pleasing.

• Boks look for last pieces of puzzleJust one crucial piece of the jigsaw remains before the Springbok coaching unit is complete. 

"They were aware of the fitness and strength standards required at this level of the game at the conclusion of the assessment camps‚ and we are proud of the work they put in to achieve that.

“But that was only the first step in what will be a mentally and physically challenging journey to possibly secure a place in the final 28-man squad.

“Over the next two months we will be working hard to put our structures and systems in place and to reach the desired fitness and strength requirements we would like to achieve as a team.

• SA Rugby confirm Coetzee will stay on as Springbok coachAs reported over a month ago‚ Springbok coach Allister Coetzee will remain in his post after a laborious review of the 2016 season was finally concluded on Monday. 

“We have exactly three months to get the team ready before their opening match‚ which is not much time‚ especially if one considers that the U20 Six Nations teams are at an advanced stage of their season.

"But that said‚ we are excited about the challenge ahead and we believe the players will be up for it.”

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport