Baby Boks to face familiar foes
12 Dec 2011
The South Africa U20 side has drawn England yet again in their pool for the IRB Junior World Championship.
The Baby Boks suffered defeat to England in the 2011 tournament as well as in the semi-finals of the 2008 and 2009 events. They will face the young Pom side when the global youth competition is staged on South African soil in 2012. Ireland and Italy have also been drawn in Pool B.
The IRB has confirmed that the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town and the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch will jointly host the tournament between 4 and 22 June.
In a move away from recent championship formats, the 2012 event will feature just two venues with triple-headers being played on five match days to maximise crowds and create ‘a festival format’ according to a statement from Saru.
‘So far, 111 players have made the step up from the tournament to win full Test caps, including 49 players who made their mark at Rugby World Cup 2011,’ IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said.
‘We look forward to another memorable tournament in 2012 and the opportunity to embrace the rich rugby heritage of the region with the dynamic and free-flowing rugby provided by the next generation of international Test stars.’
9 Comments
12 Dec 2011, 21:53 pm
It seems as though the same awful format is in place. 3 Groups, top 3 go through to the semis along with the best 2nd placed team. Last time this was decided on points diff which is not wonderfully fair as there are many factors which determine how many points you score eg: Quality of opposition, weather conditions, referee etc….
Tough group as England do well at this age, they normally beat us in the set piece and seem better conditioned.
12 Dec 2011, 23:40 pm
Better to face them in the group stages!
Will need Johan Goosen to show some magic though! Will probably be the tournament that starts the rise of Jan Serfontein also…
13 Dec 2011, 08:51 am
Hopefully their handling improved, because that’s was the downfall this year.
13 Dec 2011, 08:56 am
@hendrikp-2: you’re the veritable hype aman tl tl tl
funny, that’s what we heard about paul jordaan this year
13 Dec 2011, 08:59 am
@Transformation-4:
I barely said anything about Paul Jordaan? Outside of mentioning his combination with Franna Venter was a complete flop.
They’ll hopefully be able to finish off opportunities this time around.
Moolman & Skosan were both huge failures. Embarrassingly bad, and cost us when we were in the oppositon 22.
13 Dec 2011, 09:01 am
Tshotsho Mbovane, Craig Barry & William Small-Smith have all been excluded from this squad because of their 7′s contracts.
A bit of a disappointment considering they aren’t even part of the touring squads, yet can’t practice with the U20′s.
The 15-man code should be taking preference. Seems to me they’re giving Paul Treu too much.
13 Dec 2011, 09:02 am
@hendrikp-6:
Correction: Small-Smith was included as 13th man in PE.
13 Dec 2011, 09:04 am
@hendrikp-6: they’re giving him “too much” what?
what if dawie wants to play his favourites like courtnall skosan?
13 Dec 2011, 09:21 am
@Transformation-8:
Firstly that he gets to contract a large group of players for a series that most likely runs at a loss.
Then being able to hold-out players that could be representing SA in the 15-man game.
Don’t personally know of any other country that gives it’s sevens coach so much to work with.
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