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Cape Town - Salmaan Moerat, captain of the Western Province U18 Craven Week side, will lead the SA Schools team in the U19 International Series in August, while Blue Bulls centre Louritz Van der Schyff has been selected to lead the SA Schools A team.
The SA Schools and SA Schools A teams will take on their counterparts from England, Wales, France and Italy from August 12 to 20 in Cape Town and Paarl, with the teams set to battle it out in three rounds of matches.
The squads, which consist of 26 players each, were selected by a panel of national and SA Schools selectors following the conclusion of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven and Academy Weeks in Durban.
Moerat, who led Western Province to a 27-20 victory against the Golden Lions in the final match of the Craven Week last Saturday, is one of seven players in the SA Schools squad that featured in the tournament last season, while Blue Bulls fullback Abner van Reenen retains his place in the SA Schools A team.
Western Province dominate the SA Schools team with 13 players in the 26-man squad. Other unions represented in the team are the Golden Lions (3 players), Blue Bulls (3), Free State (2), Eastern Province (2), Griffons (1), Pumas (1) and Eastern Province Country Districts (1).
The other players who were selected for the SA Schools team for the second successive season, or promoted from the SA Schools A team, are centre Manual Rass, flyhalf Damian Willemse, looseforward Khanya Ncusane (all from Western Province), utility forward PJ Steenkamp (Blue Bulls), centre Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions) and Khwezi Mafu (Eastern Province).
The coaching staff and management teams of the SA Schools and SA Schools A teams, meanwhile, will be named in due course.
The first round of matches in the U19 International Series will be hosted at City Park in Crawford, Cape Town, on Friday, August 12. Then follows the second round of matches, at the fields of the Diocesan College (Bishops) in Rondebosch, on Tuesday August 16, while the final round of action will take place at the fields of Paarl Boys’ High on Saturday, August 20.
The two SA Schools squads will assemble at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday, August 7 and will begin their on-field preparations for the tournament the following day.
SA Schools:
Props: Reece Bezuidenhout (WP/Paarl Boys), Nathan McBeth (Golden Lions/Monument), Johan Neethling (WP/Paarl Boys), Sazi Sandi (EPCD/St Andrews College)
Hookers: Daniel Jooste (WP/Paarl Boys), PJ Botha (Golden Lions/Monument)
Locks: Ben-Jason Dixon (WP/Paul Roos), Salmaan Moerat (captain) (WP/Paarl Boys), PJ Steenkamp (Blue Bulls/Garsfontein)
Loose forwards: Khwezi Mafu (EP/Grey PE), Khanya Ncusane (WP/Paarl Boys), JC Pretorius (Pumas/Middelburg), Charl Serdyn (WP/Paarl Boys), Muller Uys (WP/Paarl Gym)
Scrumhalves: Richman Gora (Griffons/Welkom Gym), Rewan Kruger (Free State/Grey College)
Flyhalves: Ruan de Swardt (Blue Bulls/Affies), Damian Willemse (WP/Paul Roos)
Centres: Rikus Pretorius (Free State/Grey College), Manuel Rass (WP/Paarl Boys), Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions/Jeppe)
Wings: Emilio Adonis (Blue Bulls/Garsfontein), Muller du Plessis (WP/Paarl Gym), Mike Mavovana (WP/Rondebosch Boys)
Fullbacks: Gianni Lombard (WP/Paarl Boys), Sihle Njezula (EP/Grey PE)
SA Schools A:
Props: Cabous Eloff (BB/Affies), Keagan Glade (GL/KES), Gugu Nelani (Sharks/Northwood), Mornay Smith (BB/Eldoraigne)
Hookers: Schalk Erasmus (BB/Affies), Dylan Richardson (Sharks/Kearsney)
Locks: Christopher Havenga (GL/Monument), Jaco van Tonder (FS/Grey College), Juan van der Mescht (Sharks/Glenwood)
Loose forwards: Jessie Johnson (WP/Paul Roos), Athi Magwala (WP/Boland Landbou), Ryno Pieterse (BB/Garsfontein), Dian Schoonees (FS/Grey College), Mark Snyman (GL/Helpmekaar)
Scrumhalves: Zinedine Booysen (SWD/Oakdale), Sanele Nohamba (Sharks/DHS)
Flyhalves: Lubabalo Dobela (EP/Grey PE), Tyrone Green (GL/Jeppe)
Centres: Sicelo Tole (EP/Muir), Louritz van der Schyff (captain) (BB/Affies), Austin Davids (BB/Garsfontein)
Wings: Janco van Heyningen (FS/Grey College), Tatendaishe Mujawo (GL/St Benedict's), Cameron Hufke (Griquas/Noord-Kaap)
Fullbacks: Abner van Reenan (BB/Garsfontein), Ayabonga Oliphant (EP/Grey PE)
U19 International Series fixtures:
Friday, August 12 (City Park Stadium)
13.00 – France vs England
14.30 – SA Schools A vs Italy
16.00 – SA Schools vs Wales
Tuesday, August 16 (Bishops)
13.00 – Wales vs Italy
14.30 – SA Schools A vs England
16.00 – SA Schools vs France
Saturday, August 20 (Paarl Boys High)
13.00 – France vs Italy
14.30 – SA Schools A vs Wales
16.00 – SA Schools vs England
