JJ van der Mescht and Fezokuhle Mbatha will make their first starts for the Junior Boks in their tour opener against England in Coventry on Friday.

Chean Roux made five personnel changes to the team that started against Argentina in their final U20 International Series match in Stellenbosch last week.

Two players with Vodacom Super Rugby experience, the Sharks duo of Mbatha and Van der Mescht, will make their Junior Springbok debuts.

The other changes in the pack are at lock, where Emile van Heerden will start next to Van der Mescht, while Dylan Richardson will start in the loose trio next to SA U20 captains Phendulani Buthelezi and Francke Horn.

In the backline, Boeta Chamberlain will start at flyhalf in place of David Coetzer – who was ruled out of the tour due to a facial injury – while Thaakir Abrahams comes in at fullback for Andrew Kota, who has been named among the replacements.

Junior Springboks – 15 Thaakir Abrahams, 14 Marnus Potgieter, 13 Jay Cee Nel, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Caleb Dingaan, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Francke Horn (co-c), 7 Phendulani Buthelezi (co-c), 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 JJ van der Mescht, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 1 Nkosikhona Masuku.
Subs: 16 Dameon Venter, 17 Thabiso Mdletshe, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Jaco Labuschagne, 21 Sibusiso Sangweni, 22 Andrew Kota, 23 Sanele Nohamba.

Photo:Gavin Barker/BackpagePix