The Junior Springboks made an injury-forced change to their squad for the 2026 Under-20 Rugby Championship, with Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker) replaced by Mahle Sithole for the tournament, which kicks off at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Monday, 27 April.
Mnebelele, a member of the 2025 Junior World Championship-winning squad, sustained an ankle injury late last week in Stellenbosch.
Sithole, a regular member of recent SA U20 training squads, represented the SA U18S in 2024 and toured Europe with the SA U19S late last year.
Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote said, “Injuries are unfortunately part of the game, and we want to wish Esethu well with his recovery. He is one of our group leaders and has extensive experience with the Junior Bok set-up.
“However, his injury has now given Mahle a great chance to showcase his abilities, and I am sure he is excited about his call-up.”
The squad arrived in Gqeberha on Sunday evening and will spend the week sharpening their preparations for next Monday’s highly anticipated opening clash with Argentina.
“The people of the Friendly City are passionate rugby supporters, and we are looking forward to connecting with them during our stay here in Gqeberha,” said Foote.
“We are all excited to be here and are looking forward to the week’s training and our participation against the best teams in the southern hemisphere.”