'Baby Boks the envy of the world'

The South African Under-20 team will have the chance to showcase the immense talent that is available at youth levels as the South Africa Rugby Union seek both transformation and structure to prevent other countries from poaching South African rugby players.

It is no secret that South Africa is the envy of most if not all other nations for the strong schoolboy rugby that is littered with natural talent, so there is no shortage of talent to choose from for national selection at age group level.

This has contributed in no small way to the success that the Baby Boks have had under coaches such as Jake White and Peter de Villiers.

There are still however, questions that need to be asked about what happens to all these potential stars next, with so many players not continuing with the games into their twenties and others looking to further their careers overseas.

There will always be a danger that talented individuals will be lost in a system that has a continual flow of hopeful ambitious players emerging.

The current crop of payers who will represent South Africa at the 2010 IRB U20 World Championships are under the guidance of coach Eric Sauls.

"It's difficult in South Africa with an abundance of senior talent [for young players] to break through at a high level," Sauls told rugby365.com.

"Last year we played against 12 Super 14 players and we only had two Super 14 players and we still beat Australia [32-5 in the playoffs to finish third]."

"I'm confident in our youngsters because the advantage we have is the strong schools system where there is an abundance of talent coming through."

Together with SARU, Sauls has looked to give the team some exposure outside of the country leading into the tournament with a tour to Europe earlier in the year.

The coach does fear that there is not enough opportunity to gain experience at an U20 level in South Africa, where there aren't regular international matches every year.

Sauls' idea for a possible solution is to follow the lead of Australia and New Zealand and to get an U20s franchise competition loosely based on the Super 14.

"I still believe that our youngsters don't get enough opportunity to play. The Six Nations countries have an U20 competition. The Australian and New Zealanders play in an U20 franchise competition like the Super 14," Sauls said.

"The more you play and the more structures there are the more players will stay in this country. It should be made attractive to the boys in the sense that there is something for them to achieve."

Transformation at U20 level has been very successful with several talented players of colour earning their place in the Baby Boks squad, but not enough are being seen making the next step up to senior level and on to become Springboks.

There are many arguments and theories regarding why this happens, but there is no use in re-hashing them, but rather let us ask how South Africa can further transformation at a senior level?

SARU president Oregan Hoskins is hopeful that this year's U20 team will produce some future Springboks.

"I think we have just got to continue to chisel away and stay positive and confident that the U20s will translate into bigger things," Hoskins said after the team announcement.

"We have gotten to the point now where we've done all the thinking and the talking and interrogating, now have simply got to say to these young great warriors - who are going to do battle - that we have full confidence that you are going to become Springboks.

"We are a society that is dynamic, we are a team that is dynamic and I as a South African remain positive and hopeful that we will have these U20 players playing at the highest level.

"They need to look in the mirror and say 'nothing is going to stop me'."

There is also the long standing joke that one of South Africa's greatest exports is its sportsmen, and rugby players are in particular demand from an early age.

SARU chief executive officer Johan Prinsloo is adamant that there are efforts being made to keep South Africa's budding talent within the country's borders.

"As South African rugby we are very very serious and very concerned about the loss of any talent whatsoever," Prinsloo said.

"We do not want our player so go outside of the country. We do not want Australia to take our players to go and play over there.

"We have invested a tremendous amount of money in the last three years into junior rugby and did that with the sole purpose that the players have got to come through."

By Timmy Hancox