U20 Springbok Head coach Bafana Nhleko said during a media opportunity at St David's Marist Inanda school that the team travelling to Australia to compete in the U20 Rugby Championship, is probably not the final team for the U20 World Championship.
The World Rugby U20 Championship 2024 will take place in South Africa from 29 June to 19 July 2024. Played over five match days in the Western Cape regions of Stellenbosch and Cape Town, the U20 Championship features the 12 best U20 nations in the world competing for the world title.
"It's hard to say everyone that's in the group will be part of the U20 World Championship team. The idea is that the core of these guys will take on those experiences and use them going forward."
"There are guys that are injured that missed out on selection as well as guys that were very close to selection through Varsity Cup and through the different provincial unions that are not here."
"I said to the players that are going to Australia, they've got an opportunity now to put their hands up. They've been given the license to go perform and do the right things."
"They know that if they aren't bringing what we expect of them in Australia there are other guys that are waiting in the wings to perform."
"That is what we want. We want depth and competition," said Bafana Nhleko.
Bafana Nhleko said they will not play the same game plan that secured the World Cup for the Springboks.
"The difference with the junior team is that your profile changes year in, year out. I think last year would have been a big mistake for us to think we could play the same game plan and take teams on. We didn't have the pack for it, but what we did have last year is that we had a good kicking game of 9, 10 and 15."
"IfI look at this year's team, I think they can evolve. Physicality is not going to be a problem and there's a nice balance between backs and forwards. We don't just want to be a physical team, we still need a good skill set, and we still need to be tactically aware and tactically smart as well. I think we're on the right track."