As the South Africa U20 side prepares to face Argentina, Georgia and Uruguay in the international series, DYLAN JACK breaks down the 16 forwards in the squad.

PROPS:

Jan Hendrik Wessels
School: Grey College
Union: Blue Bulls
Age group: U20

A schoolboys rugby star who shifted between prop and lock during his days at Grey College in Bloemfontein, Wessels has already gone on to make his senior professional debut for the Bulls. While he has lately been playing club rugby at hooker in the Carlton League, he has been listed in the U20 squad as a prop. Wessels can be destructive when he gets an opportunity to run at defences.

Corne Weilbach
School: Paul Roos Gimnasium
Union: Western Province
Age group: U19

An old-school tighthead prop, Weilbach was part of a dominant Paul Roos scrum when he played for the school’s U19 A side alongside current Montpellier prop Robbie Rodgers. Matriculating in 2020 meant that he missed the opportunity to play for the SA Schools team, but he is highly rated within the Western Province structures.

Sibusiso Shongwe
School: Jeppe High
Union: Lions
Age group: U20

Coming through at Jeppe High – who have produced the likes of Hacjivah Dayimani, Wandisile Simelane and Tyrone Green – Shongwe is an incredibly mobile loosehead prop. He will likely rotate in the No 1 jersey with Wessels through the series.

Nolan Pienaar
School: Menlopark
Union: Bulls
Age group: U20

A player who has come through under the radar, Pienaar played for the Bull U18 team in 2019 and has made his senior debut for the Pretoria side in the Preparation Series. The tighthead prop will add plenty of steel to a front row that will be put through its paces in the international series.

Blaine Golden
School: Glenwood High
Union: Sharks
Age group: U20

A Glenwood Old Boy, Golden is very highly rated within the South African youth rugby structures. Having played for the Sharks U18 team and SA Schools in 2019, the tighthead has come through the system and will be making his next step up by playing for the SA U20 side.

HOOKERS:

Andre-Hugo Venter
School: Grey College
Union: Western Province
Age group: U20

It can be tough making your way into the rugby world when you are the son of a Springbok. Not so for Andre-Hugo Venter, the son of former Bok flank Andre. While his dad played in the back row, Venter Jnr is a hooker and excelled for Maties in this year’s Varsity Cup, memorably scoring four tries in one game. He recently made his senior professional debut for the Stormers and has been earmarked by coach John Dobson as one of the players capable of filling the space vacated by Springbok incumbent Bongi Mbonambi.

Jacques Goosen
School: Selborne College
Union: Sharks
Age group: U20

‘Raging Bull’ Goosen, as he is known by his teammates, was part of an excellent Selborne College U19 A team and played for Border at the U18 Craven Week. Goosen has natural leadership attributes, having played for SA Schools for two years, captaining the side in 2019. With the abundance of young hookers at the Sharks, Goosen can use the international series as an opportunity to provide a reminder of his talent.

LOCKS:

Reinhardt Ludwig
School: Affies
Union: Bulls
Age group: U19

Another who missed the opportunity for higher honours due to the pandemic, Ludwig is an agile No 5 lock. He is an impressive contestant in lineouts and combined with his running and rucking ability he will be looking to make his mark in the SA U20 jersey.

Raynard Roets
School: Garsfontein
Union: Bulls
Age group: U20

A Bakkies Botha-esque enforcer, Roets will add plenty of muscle to the SA U20 pack. He played for the Bulls U18 team and made his senior debut in the Preparation Series.

Dylan de Leeuw
School: Paul Roos
Union: Western Province
Age group: U20

Standing at over 2m tall, De Leeuw is one of the most talented forwards of his age group. Able to play at both Nos 4 and 5, he was named WPRFU Schools Player of the Year last year and continued his progression by playing for Maties in this year’s Varsity Cup.

BACK ROW:

George Cronje (c)
School: Grey College
Union: Free State Cheetahs

The SA U20 captain will already be a familiar face to those following domestic rugby in South Africa, as shortly after returning from a stint in France with Clermont’s academy, he made his senior debut for the Cheetahs and has cemented a place as the team’s blindside flank. Cronje will likely play at No 8 for the SA U20 side.

Izan Esterhuizen
School: Monument
Union: Lions
Age group: U20

A mountain of a player at No 8, Esterhuizen captained his high school’s U19 A side in 2019 and played for the SA Schools A team in that same year. His playing style is similar to that of Duane Vermeulen, as he puts in plenty of carries and gets through a good amount of work at the breakdown. He played for the Lions in the Preparation Series.

Simon Miller
School: St Alban’s
Union: Western Province
Age group: U20

Given that Miller has played most of his rugby at lock up to this point, it is interesting to see him listed among the loose forwards in the squad. This suggests that – much like another Western Cape-based blonde-haired flank – his future lies in transition from the second row. Miller has very similar attributes to Pieter-Steph du Toit, including a massive work rate. He played for Maties in this year’s Varsity Cup.

Rynard Mouton
School: Monument
Union: Bulls
Age group: U19

Another product of Monument, Mouton has the potential to be a great openside flank. He has a similar build to Marco van Staden and, like the Bulls flank, is an absolute menace at the breakdown.

Siyemukela ‘Sasko’ Ndlovu
School: Northwood College
Union: Lions
Age group: U20

A product of Northwood College’s ever-growing rugby programme under Grant Bashford, Ndlovu enjoyed a tremendous 2019 season, captaining his school’s 1st XV and was selected for the KZN U18 Craven Week and SA Schools sides. He is a phenomenal leader and aggressive on defence, with a strong ball-carrying ability.

ALSO READ: Schools star – Sasko Ndlovu

Siyambuka Ningiza
School: Maritzburg College
Union: Sharks
Age group: U19

Ningiza is a player who has constantly had to prove his critics wrong through his progression from playing for Port Rex High in the Eastern Cape, to being scouted by and joining Maritzburg College in his Grade 11 year. Boasting an explosiveness that backline players would envy, Ningiza represented KZN at the 2019 U18 Academy Week and joined the union after completing his Grade 12 year in 2020.