Discipline key for Theron and Co against England
PAARL.- The SA u18 team will need to stay disciplined and limit errors if victory is anything to come by when they take on an unbeaten England side in their final match of the u18 International series in Paarl on Saturday.
Catch all the action from the u18 International Series live on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com). Broadcast brought to you by Investec.
South Africa, come into the must win clash on the back of a disappointing (37-24) defeat at the expense of France in their first clash of the series in Bellville on Tuesday. While England ran riot in both their matches against France (41-0) and the Western Province invitational team (78-15).
In their match against France, Katleho Lynch’s side was totally outplayed in the first half, and their lack of discipline at the breakdown, giving the ball, and possession away resulted in the home side trailing by 23 points at the halfway mark.
The home side attempted to stage a fightback in the second half and looked rather impressive on attack, scoring their first points of the match right after kick-off through scrumhalf replacement, Haashim Pead.
Pead, who was one of the two changes made early in the second stanza with Janco Purchase, stamped his authority on the match, providing quick ball from the ruck, and catching France off guard on numerous occasions.
He went on to score his second try of the match, before Purchase got in on the action with a five pointer of his own, giving South Africa more reason to believe.
That joy would soon be short lived however, when France hit back with two tries of their own through Eliott Duthil, and Gabin Garault, who exposed the cracks in the home side’s defensive system.
Lynch’s side would go on to finish the encounter on a high when Sharks man, Luyanda Kunene dotted over in the corner to bring some respectability to the score.
The four tries, and two conversions scored by South Africa proved to be not enough, as France managed to seal a 13-point victory, and in the process bounced back from that humbling (41-0) defeat against England in their opening match.
Going into the final clash, South Africa have made wholesome changes to the team that faced France during the week.
Firstly, Grey Bloem stalwart JJ Theron has been named captain of the team with speedster JC Mars named as vice-captain.
The duo will no doubt have an impact on how proceedings go in the clash, with Mars having shown glimpses of what he can do on the international stage when he produced an impressive cameo off the bench in the defeat against France.
As for Theron, the Free-State man is no stranger to big occasions having helped Grey College get past some grueling encounters this season, and captaining his country for the first time, in a must win match, he will surely look to make a difference.
Despite the inclusion of Mars and Theron, only four players from the defeat against France managed to keep their spot in the team, and those players are wings Scott Nel and Cheswill Jooste, loose forward Batho Hlekani, and lock Jacobus Grobbelaar.
South Africa will face an English side high in confidence. The clash between the two sides kicks-off at 15:30 at Paarl Boys High.
In the earlier match of the day, Western Province Invitational will take on France at 13:00.
The home side were humiliated by England during the week, despite showing glimpses of attractive rugby late in the first half. They however allowed the English to run all over them in the second half and record that emphatic 78-15 win.
A for France, finishing the series on a high will be the message in the locker room, and having upset hosts South Africa, the French will surely be eyeing a high scoring encounter.
Fixtures:
19 August 2023:
13:00 – France u18 vs Western Province Invitational
15:30 – South Africa u18 vs England u18
The teams:
SA u18 squad:
JC Mars (vice-captain), Scott Nel, Gino Cupido, Janco Purchase, Cheswill Jooste, Kyle Smith, Haashim Pead, JJ Theron (captain), Batho Hlekani, Marno Stopforth, Riley Norton, Jacobus Grobbelaar, Jean Erasmus, Siphosethu Mnebelele, Lithemba Mfupi, Imaani Pemba, Phiwayinkosi Kubeka, Simphiwe Ngobese, Ulrich van der Westhuizen, Xola Nyali, Christiaan van der Westhuizen, Dominic Malgas, Jameel de Jongh, Luyanda Kunene, Thando Biyela.
England u18 squad:
Forwards: Tayo Adegbemile (Saracens, St Albans), Will Conduit (Midlands West, Stourport College), Ronan Daniell (Harlequins, Hurstpierpoint College), Sam Graham (Newcastle Falcons, Durham), Junior Kpoku (Exeter Chiefs, Finborough), Jack Lightbown (Sale Sharks, The Sixth Form Bolton), Alfie Longstaff (Yorkshire Academy, Woodhouse Grove), Jamie Miller (Harlequins, Whitgift), Billy Sela (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff), Solomon Shand (Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College), Olamide Sodeke (Saracens, Gravesend Grammar), Connor Treacey (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff), Kepueli Tuipulotu (South Central London Academy, Harrow), Charlie West (Saracens, St Albans).
Backs: Toby Baker (Bristol Bears, St Peter’s, York), Jack Bracken (Saracens, St Albans), Ollie Davies (Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar), Lucas Friday (Harlequins, Trinity), Charlie Griffin (South Central London Academy, Harrow), Angus Hall (Saracens, The Judd School, Tonbridge), Dom Hanson (Sale Sharks, Stockport Grammar), Nick Lilley (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College), Finn Newton (Saracens, Haileybury), Louie Platt (Yorkshire Academy, Mount St. Mary’s), Toby Wilson (Sale Sharks, Kings Macclesfield), Finlay Wiseman (South Central London Academy, Hampton).
Western Province Invitational squad: Ryk Groenewald, HB Odendaal, Herman Lubbe, Danio Botha ©, Eduan Vosloo, Ruben Dames, Marco Ferreira, Liberty Nyashanu, Juan Loots, Marno Pretorius, Rami Moastshe, Frank Hitimane, Daniel Van der Merwe, Freek De Kock, Tazreeq Moerat, Xander Mynhardt, Almero Keizer, Alfie Holm, Neil Hansen, Cole Wedgeworth, David Kotze, Ashwin Cox, Riyaad Bam, Luke Swart, Yibanathi Boncama, Iian Knoetze.
France u18 squad:
Thomas Alary (Stade Toulousain), Quentin Algay (CA Brive Corrèze), Temanatua Boichot (Stade Rochelais), Liam Couturier (ABCD XV), Adrien Drault (CABBG), Eliott Duthil (US Colomiers), Tom Emery (US Colomiers), Gabin Garault (Stade Rochelais), Ellyjah Ibsaiene (CABBG), Edouard-Junior Jabea Njocke (RC Massy Essonne), Samuel Jean Christophe (RC Toulon), Diego Jurd (Stade Rochelais), Luka Keletaona (CA Brive Corrèze), Dany Kevin Lamataki (SU Agen), Tom Leveque (Aviron Bayonnais), Nathan Llaveria (Stade Toulousain), Thomas Marceline (Lyon OU), Romeo Martin Bonnard (Stade Toulousain), Marceau Marzullo (Stade Toulousain), Charly Mignot (Lyon OU), Jérémy Nemor (Stade Toulousain), Pierre Cren Ourtaud (Castres Olympique), Ruben-Diego Pargade (CABBG), Bastien Rasal (Aviron Bayonnais), Melvyn Rates (FC Grenoble), Noé Theraube (FC Grenoble), Ethan Tia (Stade Français), Quentin Valentino (Stade Niçois), Luka Keletaona (CA Brive Corrèze), Dany Kevin Lamataki (SU Agen
