The South African Rugby Football Union (Sarfu) has announced a squad of 26 to represent the country in the 35th IRB-FIRA Under-19 World Championships in Paris from April 9 - 20.
Coached by the Golden Lions' Eugene Eloff and captained by 2002 SA School's captain Paul Delport, the squad is scheduled to leave on April 5.
Commenting on the selection, Eloff said he was confident that they had picked the best there is in South Africa.
"Over the past few months, we have been going through an extensive selection process," said Eloff. "These are the boys who will do South Africa proud."
The players have held various training and selection camps in preparation for the tournament, including a week at a naval base in Saldanha Bay on the West Coast.
Head of Delegation, Cliffie Booysen, who is also Sarfu General Manager for Youth and Club Rugby, said Sarfu had done its best to prepare for the tournament.
"We have utilised our best resources to make sure that we get the best out of the boys we have selected," said Booysen. "I am convinced that this squad will give a good account of itself."
Booysen added that one player, who had done well throughout the training camps, Onke Poni (Border), could not be selected due to injury sustained during the preparations.
Eight members of the squad are graduates of Sarfu's talent identification programmes, having participated in the 1999 Nike All Star Rugby Camp. They are Delport, Enwill Alexander, Earl Rose, Nico De Villiers, Schalk Ferreira, Peter Grant, Leon Karemaker and Darrel Murray.
During the same tournament in Italy last year, South Africa came third, after losing to New Zealand in the semifinals, and beating Argentina in the play-offs for third and fourth places. South Africa is seeded third, France second and New Zealand first.
For South Africa, the tournament in Italy brought the best out of Derick Hougaard Petros Methula, Luke Watson and Jacque Fourie, who are top-contenders for spots in the world-title-defending squad that SA Under 21 coach Jake White is currently assembling. Except for Methula, the other three have been included in this season's Vodacom Super 12 squads. - Sapa
The squad is:
Blue Bulls:
Antonie Claassen (Lock); Hendrik Daniller (Fullback); Marius Delport (Wing); Luvo Sogidashe (Wing)
Border:
Ncedo Koyana (Centre); Tembani Mkokeli (Flyhalf)
Eastern Province:
Steven Sykes (Lock)
Free State:
Wouter Moore (Lock); Ruaan Pienaar (Scrumhalf); Bismarck Du Plessis (Hooker)
Golden Lions:
Darrel Murray (Wing); Willem Van der Wal (Flanker)
Leopards:
Marthinus Van der Westhuizen (Hooker)
Natal:
Peter Grant (Flyhalf); Sangoni Moxoli (Prop)
Pumas:
Wium Arlow (No 8); Wilhelm De Jager (Lock)
Western Province:
Jacobus Adriaanse (Prop); Enwill Alexander (Wing); Paul Delport (Scrumhalf )(Captain); Nico De Villiers (Prop); Isma-eel Dollie (Flyhalf); Schalk Ferreira (Prop); Leon Karemaker (No 8); Pieter Louw (No 8); Earl Rose (Centre)