Junior Springboks balance world champions and future stars for 2026 push

Four returning world-conquering Junior Springboks, alongside a host of exciting talents, including Blitzboks newcomer Luan Giliomee, will form part of a strong U20 side that will tour Georgia later this month.

In keeping up with how Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus builds depth, Baby Boks coach Kevin Foote has ensured that he adds players available for the next two World Rugby U20 Championships to his side.

The defending champions that made the squad include winning captain Riley Norton, hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele, and props Ollie Reid and Phiwayinkosi Kubheka.

The players eligible to play in the next two Championships include Gert Kemp, Ethan Adams, Markus Muller, Zekhethelo Siyaya, and Giliomee, who made his Springbok Sevens debut in Singapore before helping the team claim the Perth SVNS title.

The South Africans recently concluded a camp in Stellenbosch, and Foote was happy with the results of the latest training block. They had matches against the Universities of Stellenbosch and Cape Town, and according to the coach, the next couple of weeks will pave the way for their journey in 2026.

They will defend their world crown in June in Georgia, so the tour of two matches should provide them with an early insight into what to expect.

Georgia is a challenging place to play, especially with the sub-zero temperatures expected, but this is exactly the kind of test we need to build resilience,” said Foote.

“We are looking for growth in our set-piece dominance and cohesion as we begin our 2026 campaign. They are a well-coached team with a lot of experience returning from last year’s international season. We expect very physical encounters, which is exactly what we need for our preparations.

“We are also building for 2027 by allowing new players to experience international rugby. This tour is a vital step in that regard.”

Flyhalf Vusi Moyo, backs Alzeadon Felix and Pieter van der Merwe, and loose forward Vuyo Gwiji were not selected for the tour due to injuries. They will recover to be considered for the U20 Rugby Championship later this year.

Speedster Cheswill Jooste is also on United Rugby Championship duty with the Bulls and will link up with the Junior Springboks at a later stage. He’s been a revelation for the Pretoria side at senior level and will be a massive addition for South Africa ahead of their title defence.

“The full training group made it very hard to decide on a 31-man travelling party,” Foote added.

“Players like AJ Meyer (lock) and Reinhardt Viljoen (fullback) put their hands up for selection and remain firmly in the mix for future camps leading into the Rugby Championship.”