Uitenhage centre for SA Schools

DANIEL Pienaar centre Heino Bezuidenhout has been given a chance of further exposure after being called up to the SA Schools side involved in the SA Rugby Union U18 international series.

The Uitenhage midfielder, who was vice-captain of the EP team which took the honours at this year’s Craven Week tournament, replaces Morné Joubert, who has a hamstring injury.

In another enforced change to the squad, KwaZulu-Natal’s Kenneth van Niekerk replaces Michael Kumbirai, who has a broken ankle.

The series, in which SA will play three games, continues in George today when the host country take on the Wales U18 side. The SA team defeated France 28-13 in the opening game on Friday and finish off the programme against England in Stellenbosch on Saturday.

Bezuidenhout has been drafted into the team immediately and will join schoolmate Lupumlo Mguca, who will make his first appearance for the side at prop.

Grey’s Keanu Vers is in the starting line-up, on the wing, while school colleagues Junior Pokomela and Curwin Bosch are on the bench.

In naming his match 23 against Wales, SA Schools coach Hein Kriek said that the plan was always to shuffle the team for the second match. He said he was pleased with the team’s performance against France in the opening match. SA u-18 team: 15-Barend Smit (Middelburg, Pumas, capt), 14-Andell Loubser (Menlo Park, Blue Bulls), 13-Heino Bezuidenhout (Daniel Pienaar, EP), 12-J T Jackson (Oakdale, SWD), 11-Keanu Vers (Grey, EP), 10-Thinus de Beer (Waterkloof, Blue Bulls), Embrose Papier (Garsfontein, Blue Bulls), 8-Edmund Rheeder (Klerksdorp, Leopards), 7-Cobus Wiese (Upington, Griquas CD), 6-Arnold Gerber (Menlo Park, Blue Bulls), 5-Eduard Zandberg (Outeniqua, SWD), 4-Ashton Fortuin (Southdown College, Blue Bulls), 3-Sarel-Marco Smit (Eldoraigne, Blue Bulls), 2-Le Roux Baard (Outeniqua, SWD), 1-Lupumlo Mguca (Daniel Pienaar, EP). Replacements: 16-Jan-Henning Campher (Garsfontein, Blue Bulls), 17-Ngonidzashe Chidoma (Northwood, KZN), 18-Ignatius Prinsloo (Grey, Free State), 19-Junior Pokomela (Grey, EP), 20-Victor Maruping (Louis Botha, Free State), 21-Marko Janse van Vuuren (Transvalia, Falcons), 22-Curwin Bosch (Grey, EP), 23-Nazo Nkala (Welkom Gym, Griffons).