Bosch back for Baby Boks against Pumitas
FLYHALF Curwin Bosch will take his place in the Junior Springbok starting lineup against Argentina today after being recalled by coach Chean Roux.
Roux has made minor changes to his side for their final Pool C encounter‚ against Argentina‚ at the World Rugby U20 Championships in Tbilisi‚ Georgia.
Bosch‚ who was on the bench on Sunday when the Junior Boks beat hosts Georgia 38-14‚ watched regular fullback Manie Libbok deliver a strong display in far better playing conditions compared to the tournament opener against France last week.
He has been in sensational form in Super Rugby playing for the Sharks‚ struggled in the windy wet conditions against Les Blues and needs to be at his best to steer South Africa into the last four.
Libbok returns to fullback in place of JeanLuc Cilliers‚ where he played against France on match day one‚ which ended in a 23-23 draw.
Up front locks Ruben van Heerden and Hendre Stassen have been drafted into the starting line-up.
Van Heerden‚ who missed the clash against Georgia after taking a knock against France‚ replaces Reinhard Nothnagel‚ while Stassen takes over from Salmaan Moerat.
Flank Muller Uys‚ who joined the team in Georgia on Sunday morning as an injury replacement for Nama Xaba‚ will start on the bench in place of Zain Davids‚ who is serving a two-match suspension.
It’s a crucial clash because victory will be enough to see the Junior Boks into the last four for a sixth consecutive year but Los Pumitas are one of their bogey teams.
Last season‚ at the World Championships in Manchester‚ the Junior Boks lost 19-13 to Argentina in Pool play and were later crushed 49-19 by the Pumitas in the bronze medal match.
Although both sides have significantly new personnel since Manchester‚ there are half a dozen survivors in the Junior Bok team from last year’s chastening losses to Argentina‚ including Bosch.
“We looked at the opposition‚ how fresh the players are‚ and their availability‚ and we feel that this is the best team for the Argentina clash‚” said Roux.
Roux expected a challenging task against Argentina in what both teams will regard as a quarterfinal‚ and said his team had to deliver a solid performance all around to book their place in the playoff stages.
The top team in each of the three pools will advance to the semifinal‚ along with the next best placed team on the log standings.
“Argentina will play a fast-paced game‚ but they also have a good scrum‚ so we need to be up for that.” said Roux.
“Our defence also has to be sharp‚ and we need to play in the right areas.”
Junior Springbok team to face today:
Manie Libbok; 14. Yaw Penxe; 13. Wandisile Simelane; 12. Damian Willemse; 11. Gianni Lombard; 10. Curwin Bosch; 9. Embrose Papier; 8. Juarno Augustus; 7. Ernst van Rhyn (captain); 6. Len Massyn; 5. Ruben van Heerden; 4. Hendre Stassen; 3. Carlu Sadie; 2. Johan Grobbelaar; 1. Kwenzo Blose.
Replacements: 16. Gerhard Steenekamp; 17 – Daniel Jooste (Western Province); 18. Wikus Groenewald; 19. Salmaan Moerat; 20. Muller Uys; 21. Francois de Villiers; 22. Stedman Gans; 23. Jean-Luc Cilliers. — TMG Argentina