Baby Boks change 11 for Italy
Coach Dawie Theron has made eleven changes to the SA Under-20 team to play Italy at the UWC Stadium in their second match of the IRB Junior World Championships on Friday.
Only Jan Serfontein (centre), Paul Willemse (lock), Steven Kitshoff (prop) and captain and flank Wiaan Liebenberg remain from the side that lost their opening match against Ireland.
Four players, Marais Schmidt (fullback), Travis Ismaiel (wing), William Small-Smith (centre) and Khaya Majola, will make their first appearances at the tournament. Schoolboy Handré Pollard (flyhalf) and Braam Steyn (eighthman) were unused substitutes against Ireland.
Coach Theron explained the big turnover of players for this match.
He said: “This was always part of our planning, as we have only a three-day turnaround between the two matches.
"We are keen to redeem ourselves against Italy as we disappointed ourselves and our supporters against the Irish and I am convinced that the new players in the team will provide us with a lot of positive energy.”
Captain Liebenberg said the changes would not affect their play.
“We have been training together as a group for a while now and the new guys slotted in with ease," said the Tukkies and Blue Bulls loose forward.
"We are lucky to have such a short turnaround in that we can now rectify the mistakes we made in our opening game We are still in the hunt to win the tournament.”
SA Under-20 team vs Italy: 15 Marais Schmidt (Golden Lions), 14 Tshotsho Mbovane (Western Province), 13 William Small-Smith (Blue Bulls), 12 Jan Serfontein (Blue Bulls), 11 Travis Ismaiel (Blue Bulls), 10 Handré Pollard (Western Province), 9 Vian van der Watt (Golden Lions), 8 Braam Steyn (KwaZulu-Natal), 7 Wiaan Liebenberg (Blue Bulls - captain), 6 Khaya Majola (KwaZulu-Natal), 5 Ruan Botha (Golden Lions), 4 Paul Willemse (Golden Lions), 3 Oliver Kebble (Western Province), 2 Jason Thomas (Blue Bulls), 1 Steven Kitshoff (Western Province).
Replacements: 16 Mark Pretorius (Golden Lions), 17 Allan Dell (KwaZulu-Natal), 18 Pieter Steph du Toit (KwaZulu-Natal), 19 Fabian Booysen (Golden Lions), 20 Abrie Griesel (Blue Bulls), 21 Tony Jantjies (Blue Bulls), 22 Pat Howard (Western Province), 23 Maks van Dyk (KwaZulu-Natal).
Date: 8 June, 2012
Kick-off: 18.45
Venue: UWC Stadium, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Cape Town
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant referees: Rasta Rashivenga (South Africa), Sindile Mayende (South Africa)
Television match official: Lyndon Bray