Tshakweni on Junior Bok bench

Eastern Province prop Alulutho Tshakweni is on the bench in the Junior Springbok squad to face Georgia at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch tonight.

The former Hudson Park High and now EP U19 prop will be hoping to get enough game time so that he can make an impression to book his ticket to the World Rugby U20 Championship in France.

The world championship runs from May 30 to June 17.

Prop Sazi Sandi will lead a new-look Junior Springbok squad, featuring Blitzbok Muller du Plessis,

SA U20 coach Chean Roux made several changes to his match-day squad in line with his objective to give as many players as possible a chance to show if they have what it takes to secure a place in his 28-man World Rugby U20 Championship squad.
Sandi, taking over the captaincy from Salmaan Moerat, who trained with the Stormers this week, is one of five players who retained their places in the starting lineup.

The others are No 8 Muller Uys, winger Sihle Njezula, lock Ruan Nortje and Gianni Lombard, who moves from fullback to flyhalf.

The squad includes 16 players who have progressed through the SA Schools structures, among them fullback Muller du Plessis, who made his Springbok Sevens debut earlier this season.

“This is our second game, so we would like to give everyone a fair chance to play a full game so that they have the best chance to secure a place in the final squad,” Roux said. He said that he was expecting Georgia to pose a strong challenge, despite going down 55-14 in their first outing at Paul Roos Gymnasium last week.

The team:

(Nos 15 to 1): Muller du Plessis (Sharks), David Kriel (Western Province), Manuel Rass (Golden Lions), Lyle Hendricks (Western Province), Sihle Njezula (Western Province), Gianni Lombard (Golden Lions), Jack Hart (Golden Lions), Muller Uys (Western Province), Ryno Pieterse (Blue Bulls), JC Pretorius (Blue Bulls), Ben-Jason Dixon (Western Province), Ruan Nortje (Blue Bulls), Sazi Sandi (captain, Western Province), PJ Botha (Golden Lions), Tiaan van der Merwe (Golden Lions). Replacements: (16 to 23): Schalk Erasmus (Western Province), Alulutho Tshakweni (Eastern Province), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Golden Lions), PJ Steenkamp (Golden Lions), Phendulani Buthelezi (Sharks), Zak Burger (Sharks), Rikus Pretorius Western Province), Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions).