The SA Schools and SA Schools A squads – featuring four returning players from 2018 – to contest the U18 International Series against their age-group counterparts from Argentina, England, France, Wales in August were announced by SA Rugby on Monday.

Jacques Goosen (hooker, Border), Jarrod Taylor (flanker, Border), Keketso Morabe (flanker, Thepa Trading Griffons) and Jurich Claasens (scrumhalf, Assupol Blue Bulls), all of whom played for the SA Schools team in 2018, were again included following the successful hosting of the Under-18 Youth Weeks in Bloemfontein at the beginning of the month.

The U18 International Series kicks off at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch on Friday, 9 August, with matches to follow at Paarl Gymnasium in Paarl on Tuesday, 13 August and Hugenote High School in Wellington on Saturday, 17 August.

Mzwakhe Nkosi (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions, SA Schools) and Phiwe Nomlomo (Border, SA Schools A) are the respective coaches.

SA Rugby CEO, Jurie Roux, congratulated the players on their selection and wished them well for the forthcoming series.

“It is a rewarding and exciting time for the selected schoolboys as they get the opportunity to play for their country and give justice to their talent and hard work put in,” said Roux.

“The selection of these squads is in line with our elite player development pathway of which the SA Schools teams form an important part.

“We invest time, money and resources into their matches with a view to them graduating through the age group levels to the very top of the game, so good luck to all involved, including the coaching staff of Mzwakhe and Phiwe respectively.”

The squads (with provinces and schools) are:

SA Schools:

Outside backs: Geraldo Flusk (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Garsfontein), Keane Galant (Boland / HTS Drostdy), Zeilinga Strydom (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Garsfontein), Tarquin Manuel (DHL Western Province / HS Stellenberg).

Centres: Tyler Bocks (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High), Henco van Wyk (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Monument), Mntungwa Mapantsela (Border / Selborne College).

Flyhalves: Kean Meadon (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High), Boldwin Hansen (Boland / HS Hermanus).

Scrumhalves: Jurich Claasens (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Garsfontein), Dylan Alexander (DHL Western Province / Paarl Gymnasium).

Loose forwards: George Cronje (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College), Gideon van Wyk (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High), Jarrod Taylor (Border / Selborne College), Siyemukela Ndlovu (Cell C Sharks / Northwood HS), Keketso Morabe (Thepa Trading Griffons / Welkom Gymnasium).

Locks: Simon Miller (Assupol Blue Bulls / St Albans), Dylan de Leeuw (DHL Western Province / Paul Roos Gymnasium), Connor Evans (DHL Western Province / Bishops), Wandile Hlope (Cell C Sharks / Maritzburg College).

Props: Blaine Golden (Cell C Sharks / Glenwood HS), Bryan le Roux (DHL Western Province / Rondebosch Boys High), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College), Okuhle Siyeni (Cell C Sharks / Westville Boys High).

Hookers: Jacques Goosen (Border / Selborne College), Andre Venter (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College).

Management – Head Coach: Mzwakhe Nkosi (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions). Assistant coach: Cobus van Dyk (Assupol Blue Bulls). Manager: Dean Moodley (Cell C Sharks).

SA Schools A:

Outside backs: Sibusiso Javu (Border / Selborne College), Sonwabo Sokoyi (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College), Nsuku Baloyi (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Menlo Park), Indiphile Tyeda (Border / Dale College).

Centres: Jacques Rossouw (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High), Joseph Iye (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / King Edward School), Quan Horn (Western Province / Paarl Boys High).

Flyhalves: Sihlalo Benge (Border / Queens College), Jordan Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks / Glenwood HS).

Scrumhalves: Daimon O’Connell (Border / Selborne College), Kabelo Mokheti (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Jeppe Boys High).

Loose forwards: Izan Esterhuizen (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Monument), Jarod Cairns (DHL Western Province / Paul Roos Gymnasium), Renzo du Plessis (Unitrans Limpopo Blue Bulls / HS Ben Vorster), Pierich Siebert (DHL Western Province / Paarl Gymnasium), Josh van Vreden (Border / Selborne College).

Locks: Marco van Rhyn (DHL Western Province / Paarl Gymnasium), Sisonke Vumazonke (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs / Grey College), Cornelus Rahl (South Western Districts / Oakdale HS), Raynard Roets (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Garsfontein).

Props: Sibusiso Shongwe (Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions / Jeppe Boys High), Philip Masango (DHL Western Province / Wynberg Boys High), Rynhardt Rijnsburger (DHL Western Province / Paarl Boys High), Dimakatso Lebelo (Assupol Blue Bulls / HS Waterkloof).

Hookers: Jacques-Lois du Toit (Assupol Blue Bulls / Afrikaans Boys HS), Teague Loelly (Cell C Sharks / Westville Boys High).

Management – Head Coach: Phiwe Nomlomo (Border). Assistant coach: Wessel du Plessis (Bizhub Free State Cheetahs). Manager: Ofentse Moeng (Assupol Blue Bulls).

U18 International Series Fixtures:

Friday 9 August 2019 – Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch

13h00: SA Schools A vs France U18

14h30: England U18 vs Argentina U18

16h00: SA Schools vs Wales U18

Tuesday 13 August 2019 – Paarl Gymnasium, Paarl

13h00: SA Schools A vs Wales U18

14h30: SA Schools vs Argentina U18

16h00: England U18 vs France U18

Saturday 17 August 2019 – Hugenote High School, Wellington

12h00: SA Schools A vs Argentina U18

13h30: France U18 vs Wales U18

15h00: SA Schools vs England U18