The South Africa under-19 rugby squad will stake their claim to world excellence when they compete in the FIRA World Junior Championships in Paris from April 10 to 20.
South Africa Under-19 won the annual tournament in 1994 in France on their debut.
The 26-man squad is currently in a training camp in Cape Town, with the capping ceremony scheduled for April 4 at the Peninsula Technikon. They leave for Paris the following day.
South Africa is in Group A, which features formidable opponents such as New Zealand, France, England and Argentina. The boys kick off this year's campaign on April 10, with a clash against Korea. Winning their opening game will see them face either England or Russia in the second round.
In the build-up to the tournament, the squad has held training camps in Cape Town, Saldanha Bay Naval Base, Stellenbosch, George and Worcester. Last week, they played Western Province Under-20, and routed them 87-7. In previous warm-ups, they outplayed South Western Districts Under-20 by 71-3, while they triumphed 28-3 over Eastern Province Under-20.
The squad is coached by Eugene Eloff of the Golden Lions, with former Under-19 coach Oersond Gorgonzola and Dumisani Mhani as his assistants.
Former Springbok player and Springbok Sevens coach, Norman Mbiko, is the team manager.
"I am confident that we have put together a formidable squad to represent South Africa," said Mbiko, on the eve of the team's departure. "They show determination and a will to win. They are true ambassadors."
Captained by Western Province's Paul Delport, the side features three players who travelled to Italy for the same tournament last year. They are Delport, Thembani Mkhokeli and Marthinus Van Der Westhuizen. The Vice-Captain is Schalk Ferreira.
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.
In the 2002 tournament in Italy, South Africa came third, after losing to New Zealand in the semifinals, and beating Argentina in the playoffs 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 Super 12 squads.
The squad includes the sons of two former Bok greats. Number eight Antonie Claassen is the son of former Bok captain Wynand, and scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar's father is former Bok fullback, Gysie. Centre Earl Rose' father, Enver, represented Western Province League in the 1980's, playing alongside the likes of Chester Williams.
Squad:
Blue Bulls: Antonie Claassen (Lock); Hendrik Daniller (Fullback); Marius Delport (Wing); Luvo Sogidashe (Wing), Wium Arlow (No 8); Gabriel Kuun (flank) Border: Ncedo Koyana (Centre); Tembani Mkokeli (Flyhalf) Free State: Wouter Moore (Lock); Ruaan Pienaar (Scrumhalf); Bismarck Du Plessis (Hooker) Golden Lions: Darrel Murray (Wing); Wilhelm De Jager (Lock) Leopards: Marthinus Van der Westhuizen ( Hooker) Natal: Sangoni Mxoli (Prop), Steven Sykes (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); Peter Grant (Flyhalf); Earl Rose (Centre) - Sapa