Junior Springboks change six for French clash
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Junior Springboks coach Sean Roux has made six changes to his squad to face France with Wandisile Simelane starting on the wing and Lubabalo Dobela replacing the injured Damian Willemse at flyhalf.
The Junior Springboks meet World Rugby U20 Championship hosts, France, in their pool decider in Narbonne on Thursday.
Dobela will make his first start in the competition, and Simelane, who moved from centre to the wing during the match against Ireland, will take over the No 11 jersey, after the SA U20s Muller du Plessis due to injury.
Simelane’s switch sees Manuel Rass start in the midfield with Lyle Hendricks, while flanker PJ Steenkamp will join Dian Schoonees and Muller Uys in the loose trio, and Ruan Vermaak partners up with captain Salmaan Moerat at lock.
The other change in the starting team is at hooker, where Schalk Erasmus comes in for Daniel Jooste, who suffered a rib injury at training on Tuesday.
On the bench, versatile front-rower Tiaan van der Merwe provides cover at hooker, and David Coetzer, who joined the team in France on Tuesday morning, at flyhalf. They are both in line for their World Rugby U20 Championship debuts.
Winger Sihle Njezula, meanwhile, makes a welcome return to the match-day squad among the replacements after recovering from the ankle injury he suffered against Georgia.
Junior Springbok team to face France:
15 – Gianni Lombard
14 – Tyrone Green
13 – Manuel Rass
12 – Lyle Hendricks
11 – Wandisile Simelane
10 – Lubabalo Dobela
9 – Zak Burger
8 – Muller Uys
7 – PJ Steenkamp
6 – Dian Schoonees
5 – Ruan Vermaak
4 – Salmaan Moerat (captain)
3 – Asenathi Ntlabakanye
2 – Schalk Erasmus
1 – Nathan McBeth
Replacements:
16 – Tiaan van der Merwe
17 – Alulutho Tshakweni
18 – Sazi Sandi
19 – Ruan Nortje
20 – Ben-Jason Dixon
21 – Rewan Kruger
22 – David Coetzer
23 – Sihle Njezula
