Salmaan Moerat, captain of the DHL Western Province U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week side, will lead the SA Schools team in the U19 International Series in August, while Enrista Blue Bulls centre Louritz Van der Schyff has been selected to lead the SA Schools A team
The SA Schools and SA Schools A teams will take on their counterparts from England, Wales, France and Italy from 12 to 20 August in Cape Town and Paarl, with the teams set to battle it out in three rounds of matches.
The squads, which consist of 26 players each and are sponsored by Coca-Cola, were selected by a panel of national and SA Schools selectors following the conclusion of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven and Academy Weeks in Durban.
Moerat, who led DHL Western Province to a 27-20 victory against the Bidvest Golden Lions in the final match of the Coca-Cola Craven Week last Saturday, is one of seven players in the SA Schools squad that featured in the tournament last season, while Enrista Blue Bulls fullback Abner van Reenen retains his place in the SA Schools A team.
The other players who were selected for the SA Schools team for the second successive season, or promoted from the SA Schools A team, are centre Manual Rass, flyhalf Damian Willemse, looseforward Khanya Ncusane (all from DHL Western Province), utility forward PJ Steenkamp (Enrista Blue Bulls), centre Wandisile Simelane (Bidvest Golden Lions) and Khwezi Mafu (Eastern Province).
The coaching staff and management teams of the SA Schools and SA Schools A teams, meanwhile, will be named in due course.
The first round of matches in the U19 International Series will be hosted at City Park in Crawford, Cape Town, on Friday 12 August. Then follows the second round of matches, at the fields of the Diocesan College (Bishops) in Rondebosch, on Tuesday 16 August, while the final round of action will take place at the fields of Paarl Boys’ High on Saturday, 20 August.
The two SA Schools squads will assemble at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday, 7 August and will begin their on-field preparations for the tournament the following day.
SA Schools (in alphabetical order):
Name/Position/Province/School
Emilio Adonis Wing Enrista Blue Bulls Garsfontein
Reece Bezuidenhout Prop DHL Western Province Paarl Boys
PJ Botha Hooker Bidvest Golden Lions Monument
Ruan de Swardt Flyhalf Enrista Blue Bulls Affies
Ben-Jason Dixon Lock DHL Western Province Paul Roos
Muller du Plessis Wing DHL Western Province Paarl Gym
Richman Gora Scrumhalf Thepa Trading Griffons Welkom Gymnasium
Daniel Jooste Hooker DHL Western Province Paarl Boys
Rewan Kruger Scrumhalf Bizhub Free State Grey College, Bloem
Gianni Lombard Fullback DHL Western Province Paarl Boys
Khwezi Mafu No 8 Eastern Province Grey High, PE
Mike Mavovana Wing DHL Western Province Rondebosch Boys
Nathan McBeth Prop Bidvest Golden Lions Monument
Salmaan Moerat (captain) Lock DHL Western Province Paarl Boys
Khanya Ncusane No 8/Flank DHL Western Province Paarl Boys
Johan Neethling Prop DHL Western Province Paarl Boys
Sihle Njezula Utility back Eastern Province Grey High, PE
JC Pretorius Flank Pumas HTS Middelburg
Rikus Pretorius Centre Bizhub Free State Grey College, Bloem
Manuel Rass Centre DHL Western Province Paarl Boys
Sazi Sandi Prop Eastern Province CD St Andrews College
Charl Serdyn Flank DHL Western Province Paarl Boys
Wandisile Simelane Centre Bidvest Golden Lions Jeppe
PJ Steenkamp Lock/Flank Enrista Blue Bulls Garsfontein
Muller Uys Flank DHL Western Province Paarl Gym
Damian Willemse Flyhalf DHL Western Province Paul Roos
SA Schools A (in alphabetical order):
Name/Position/Province/School
Zinedine Booysen Scrumhalf SWD Eagles Oakdale
Austin Davids Utility Back Enrista Blue Bulls Garsfontein
Lubabalo Dobela Flyhalf Eastern Province Grey High, PE
Cabous Eloff Prop Enrista Blue Bulls Affies
Schalk Erasmus Hooker Enrista Blue Bulls Affies
Keagan Glade Prop Bidvest Golden Lions KES
Tyrone Green Flyhalf Bidvest Golden Lions Jeppe
Gugu Nelani Prop Sharks Northwood
Christopher Havenga Lock Bidvest Golden Lions Monument
Janco van Heyningen Wing Bizhub Free State Grey College, Bloem
Cameron Hufke Utility Back GWK Griquas Noord-Kaap
Jessie Johnson Flank DHL Western Province Paul Roos
Athi Magwala Flank DHL Western Province Boland Landbou
Tadendaishe Mujawo Right wing Bidvest Golden Lions St Benedict’s
Sanele Nohamba Scrumhalf Sharks DHS
Ayabonga Oliphant Utility Back Eastern Province Grey High, PE
Ryno Pieterse Lock/Flank Enrista Blue Bulls Garsfontein
Dylan Richardson Hooker Sharks Kearsney College
Dian Schoonees No 8 Bizhub Free State Grey College, Bloem
Mornay Smith Prop Enrista Blue Bulls Eldoraigne
Mark Snyman Flank Bidvest Golden Lions Helpmekaar
Sicelo Tole Centre Eastern Province Muir College
Louritz Van der Schyff (captain) Centre Enrista Blue Bulls Affies
Abner van Reenen Fullback Enrista Blue Bulls Garsfontein
Jaco van Tonder Lock Bizhub Free State Grey College, Bloem
Juan van der Mescht Lock Sharks Glenwood