Baby Boks players want to impress

By Nomava Nobumba
03 February 2010

In a statement issued by International Ruby Union today, scrumhalf Lohan Jacobs and flanker Lean Schwartz have said the players selected in the SA under -20 squad will be aiming to impress the national selectors with outstanding on-field performances during their two week tour to France.

The Baby Boks will participate in three international friendly games against French Invitational XVs.

The union said with the IRB Junior World Championship taking place in Argentina later this year, the main reason for the tour is to expose the SA Under-20s to as many international fixtures as possible prior to the tournament, which kicks off on 5th of June .

“It’s every junior rugby player’s dream to play at the IRB Junior World Championship and hopefully solid performances against the French will take me a step closer to selection in the final squad,” said Schwartz.

“There’s strong competition for places within the squad and from other players who have not made the French tour, which is great. So it’s important for me and every player to prove our worth and hopefully cement our place in the final group.”

Jacobs, who captained the SA Under-18 High Performance team in their international friendly games against the French Invitational XV’s last year, is also looking forward to the challenge of touring with the Baby Boks and insisted that many players will be going to France with the intention of impressing the SA national selectors with the IRB Junior World Championship only four months away.

South African Under-20 coach Eric Sauls insisted that positions are still up for grabs in preparation of the IRB Junior World Championship.