Steenkamp to lead SA Schools

The South African Rugby Union on Saturday announced the players selected to the SA Schools and SA Academy teams for 2011. These squads will compete in two international friendlies against a France Invitational squad in August.

Golden Lions Craven Week captain Ruan Steenkamp will captain the SA Schools team which includes nine players that competed in the final match of the Coca-Cola Under-18 Craven Week at GWK Park in Kimberley - also on Saturday.

Free State centre Dries Swanepoel - who captained his team to a 28-17 final day Craven Week win over the selfsame Lions - will serve as Steenkamp's deputy.

Swanepoel is one of five Free Staters in the 22-man SA Schools squad - where he will be joined by his Grey College centre mate Jan Serfontein - with four representatives from the Lions. The Blue Bulls, however, have the most players in the squad - six.

The SA Schools team will be coached by Pumas U18 boss Poerie van Rooyen, whilst Eastern Province's Kenneth Joseph was named as the assistant coach. Gert Tsotetsi (Valke) was named as team manager.

The SA Schools team will take on a French Invitational XV in Port Elizabeth in the curtain-raiser to the historic Tri-Nations clash between the Springboks and the All Blacks at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on August 20.

Meanwhile, Golden Lions flanker Willie Newman will captain the SA Academy team which includes the talented Western Province centre paring of Edwin Sass and John Kotze.

The Eastern Province and Golden Lions U18 Academy teams make up the bulk of the 22-man squad, whilst the successful WP Under-18 Academy team boasts four players in the squad.

The SA Academy team will be coached by Blue Bulls U18 Academy coach Bart Schoeman, with Griquas' Joseph Jafta named as assistant coach. Dean Moodley (KwaZulu-Natal) was named as the team manager of the SA Academy side for 2011.

The Academy side will take on the French Invitational XV in a curtain-raiser to the Tri-Nations match between the Springboks and Australia in Durban on August 13 - the week before the SA Schools side plays against the same opponents.

The SA Schools squad (for 2011):

Forwards:
Andrew Beerwinkel (Boland)
Eugene le Maitre (Golden Lions)
Irne Herbst (Blue Bulls)
Jacques du Plessis (Pumas)
Leneve Damens (Free State)
Marne Coetzee (Blue Bulls)
Morne du Plessis (Blue Bulls)
Philip du Preez (Golden Lions)
Pierre Schoeman (Blue Bulls)
Ruan Steenkamp (Golden Lions - captain)
Sikumbuzo Notshe (Western Province)
Thabo Mabuza (Blue Bulls)

Backs:
Dries Swanepoel (Free State - vice-captain)
Jaco van der Walt (Golden Lions)
Jan Serfontein (Free State)
Nhlanhla Hlongwane (Free State)
Percey Williams (South Western Districts)
Ruwellyn Isbell (Free State)
Sean Robinson (Blue Bulls)
Siyabonga Tom (KwaZulu-Natal)
Timothy Swiel (Western Province)
Tyler Fisher (KwaZulu-Natal)

SA Schools management:
Head coach: Poerie van Rooyen (Pumas)
Assistant coach: Kenneth Joseph (Eastern Province)
Team manager: Gert Tsotetsi (Valke)

The SA Academy team (for 2011): 15 Lorenzo Baaitjies (Eastern Province), 14 Gideon Meiring (Golden Lions), 13 Edwin Sass (Western Province), 12 John Kotze (Western Province), 11 Suprise Mayekiso (Golden Lions), 10 Dalton Kannemeyer (Western Province), 9 Cyprial Mkhabela (KwaZulu-Natal), 8 Niklaas Rossouw (Boland), 7 Malcolm Marx (Golden Lions), 6 Willie Newman (Golden Lions), 5 Armand du Preez (Eastern Province), 4 Stefan Vermeulen (Golden Lions), 3 Bart le Roux (Eastern Province), 2 Chadley Wenn (Boland), 1 Matthew Jones (KwaZulu-Natal).
Replacements: 16 Hewson Petersen (Western Province), 17 Siwa Mandlakhe (Eastern Province), 18 Luan de Bruin (Blue Bulls), 19 Tienie Burger (Free State), 20 Balunga Mbangi (Eastern Province), 21 Damian Engledoe (Boland), 22 Linden Rhode (South West Districts).

SA Academy management:
Head coach: Bart Schoeman (Blue Bulls)
Assistant coach: Joseph Jafta (Griquas)
Team manager: Dean Moodley (KwaZulu-Natal)