Johannesburg - Blue Bulls Under-19 scrumhalf Lohan Jacobs will join the SA Under-20 squad after Western Province's Ricky Schroeder was ruled out of next month's IRB Junior World Championship in Italy due to injury.
The UCT Ikeys scrumhalf fractured his leg during a field training session for his local club on the eve of the squad announcement last week. He is expected to be sidelined for up to four months.
Jacobs, who represented the Baby Boks during last year's IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina, will join the squad currently in Jeffreys Bay. He earned two international caps during the 2010 tournament after he competed in the semi-final against New Zealand and the bronze medal play-off game against England.
The national selectors have added Bulls centre Bradley Moolman to the 26-man squad. Moolman who represented the Pretoria team during Friday's Vodacom Cup final against the Pampas XV replaces Lions fullback Jaco Taute who was not released by his province from Super Rugby duty in Australasia.
"Firstly our hearts goes out to Ricky and we wish him a speedy recovery," said SA under-20 coach Dawie Theron.
"He has been part of our structures since this squad gathered in December last year, and I am sure he would be extremely disappointed at not fulfilling one of his goals for the year which was to represent his country at this IRB Junior World Championships. He is a good player with heaps of talent and potential. It's our wish to see Ricky on the playing fields very soon."
"Our request was to have the complete squad that will be travelling to the IRB Junior World Championships next month at a final training camp in Jeffreys Bay. I am happy to confirm that this is the current situation, as we prepare for our final warm up friendly match against the EP Kings," added Theron.
The SA Under-20 squad that will be captained by Bulls loose forward Arno Botha are currently in camp in Jeffreys Bay. The Baby Boks will play the EP Kings on May 19 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth in their final match in preparation of next month's IRB Junior World Championship in Italy.