Junior Bok Squad Named for JWC Title Defence in Georgia

The Junior Springboks squad to represent South Africa at the 2026 World Rugby Junior World Championship in Georgia was announced by SA U20 head coach Kevin Foote on Friday, with seven players from last year’s successful campaign in Italy included in the group. South Africa will defend their title at the global showpiece, which takes place in Georgia from 27 June to 18 July.

Captain Riley Norton (lock), Oliver Reid, Rambo Kubheka (props), Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker), Vusi Moyo (flyhalf), Cheswill Jooste (wing), and Alzeadon Felix (fullback) were all part of the SA U20 side that won last year’s world championship in Italy.

Ten members of the JWC squad were included in the wider Springbok group for the Barbarians fixture and the SA ‘A’ match against Zimbabwe in Gqeberha on 20 June, while Cheswill Jooste remains with the Vodacom Bulls, who have qualified for the next Friday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final.

The Junior Bok squad consists entirely of players who have attended previous training camps in Stellenbosch, as well as the recent U20 International Series and the SANZAAR U20 Rugby Championship, both of which were won by South Africa.

Norton is one of the players included in the wider Springbok group, along with Reid and Danie Kruger (props); Mnebelele and Liam van Wyk (hookers); Moyo (flyhalf); Yaqeen Ahmed (flyhalf/centre); Luan Giliomee (utility back); Markus Muller (centre); and Zekhethelo Siyaya (fullback). They will join the Junior Bok squad as soon as they are released from senior national duty. Muller and Siyaya are joined by eight other players in the squad who are still U19 and eligible to play in next year’s JWC as well. These players are Jordan Jooste and Luan van der Berg (props), Jaythen Orange (lock), Gert Kemp and Wasi Vyambwera (loose forwards), Jayden Brits (scrumhalf), Ethan Adams (centre), and Jordan Steenkamp (wing).

The players will be capped on Saturday, 13 June, and will continue their final preparations at their Stellenbosch base camp before departing for Georgia on Monday, 22 June.

Reflecting on the final selection, which required the coaches to trim the wider training squad to the official JWC group, Foote stated the process was extremely tough. “It was the most difficult decision for me and the fellow coaches,” said Foote. “Any one of those not selected would have done a great job for us in Georgia.”

Foote acknowledged the dedication and hard work of the players and their provincial teams in supporting the Junior Bok programme.

The Junior Boks are grouped in Pool A with Wales, Georgia, and Uruguay, and will be based in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi for the pool stages. The SA U20s open their campaign against Uruguay at Avchala Stadium on Saturday, 27 June. Their remaining pool matches are against hosts Georgia on 2 July and Wales on 7 July. The ranking playoffs will take place on 12 and 13 July, with the remaining ranking playoffs on 17 July, followed by the third-place encounter and final on 18 July.