Two EP players aim for Junior Bok side

TWO Eastern Province rugby players will be looking to make their mark at the Junior Springbok squad trials being held in preparation for the U20 World Championship.

Former Hudson Park High and now EP U19 prop Alulutho Tshakweni and lock Luyolo Dapula (Madibaz) will have a chance to impress the selectors and book their ticket to France.

Former Grey High star Sihle Njezula, 19, who has been making strides in Western Province rugby, is also included in the squad.

“This is a big deal for any rugby player and we are really looking to impress the coaching staff,” Njezula said.

“This is an opportunity to make our mark and make a name for ourselves.

“We are hoping to get noticed by world rugby as we strive to become professional rugby players.

“I know it is going to be tough but I just need to put my best foot forward.”

The team’s preparations run from today until Friday with the first of three four-day training camps in Stellenbosch.

The final one will finish on March 30 before a two-week camp is held in April and a United Kingdom tour in May.

The selected squad will play five international fixtures in the lead-up to the tournament.

The first two matches will be against World Rugby U20 Championship pool opponents Georgia in Cape Town on April 13 and 20 respectively.

They will meet Scotland in Edinburgh on May 4 and Wales in Cardiff on May 8.

Junior Springboks coach Chean Roux said: “This preparation schedule is ideal to ensure that we arrive in France well prepared both mentally and physically ready for the U20 Championship.”

“The four-day camps in February and March we hope will also avoid a situation where the FNB Varsity Cup players miss a few days of training due to their team commitments.

“We had to select a limited number of players for the first camp, so this group is by no means the only players we will be watching.

“We will continue to keep an eye on other players who perform well, so the group could change as our preparations continue.

“We faced Georgia in Tbilisi in the pool stages of the U20 Championship last year and they have again been drawn in our pool this season.

“The two encounters against them will be good preparation for both sides.

“They are physical and determined opponents, and these matches will give the players a good idea of what to expect in France.

“The UK tour will be equally as important as the training schedule.

“The frequency of the matches and the tough competition on tour will be similar to what the players will experience in France,” he said.

The training squad will also include five capped Junior Springbok players, as well as 22 former SA Schools players.