Junior Springboks confirm new captain after Norton’s call-up to senior side

Hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele will captain the Junior Springboks at the upcoming Junior World Championship in Georgia, SA Rugby confirmed on Monday.

This comes after regular captain Riley Norton was called up to the senior Springbok side’s squad for the Nations Championship.

Norton made his senior debut for the Boks in last Saturday’s 80-31 win over the Barbarians in Gqeberha.

Last year, Norton captained the Junior Boks to the world title in Italy when they beat New Zealand 23-15 in the final.

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Norton’s place in the Junior Bok squad will be filled by utility forward Thomas Beling, while winger Cheswill Jooste replaces flyhalf Vusi Moyo, who has also joined the senior Bok squad.

In a further squad change, winger Akahluwa Boqwana has been drafted into the touring party as a replacement for Zekhethelo Siyaya, who joined prop Kai Pratt on the list of injured players who are not available for the tournament.

Siyaya sustained a concussion and a facial injury during a freak collision in the SA A side’s 40-0 win over Zimbabwe at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.

The Junior Boks who featured for the SA A side - Oliver Reid and Danie Kruger (props); Mnebelele and Liam van Wyk (hookers); Yaqeen Ahmed (flyhalf/centre); Luan Giliomee (utility back); and Markus Muller (centre) - all rejoined the SA U20 squad in Stellenbosch on Sunday.

Ahmed, whose yellow card was upgraded to a 20-minute red card for a dangerous tackle against Zimbabwe, has been suspended and will miss the first two matches in Georgia. The No 10 will, however, remain in the squad.

Props: Oliver Reid (Stormers), Rambo Kubheka (Sharks), Jordan Jooste (Stormers), Danie Kruger (Stormers),