OPINION: Tough decisions for Foote as he trims Junior Bok squad

The Junior Springboks celebrate winning the U20 International Series hosted in the Western Cape after beating Chile, Fiji and Georgia over the last few weeks. Picture: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images Junior Springboks head coach Kevin Foote has some tough decisions to make, as he needs to cut a very strong extended squad to just 30 players for the defence of their World Rugby Junior World Championship title in Georgia, starting later this month. The 2026 event runs from the 27 June to 18 July, and theJunior Bokswill be aiming to clinch their second straight title and third overall, after their previous triumphs on home soil in 2012 and in Italy last year.

It has been a superb year so far for the Junior Boks, who are currently unbeaten in their last eight matches, while they have also heavily rotated their squad and given game time to a large number of players. They have beaten world champs hosts Georgia three times, 35-0 and 35-5 on a tour to the country in February, and 57-14 in Stellenbosch this past weekend, while they also thrashed Chile 97-0and Fiji 82-25in the international series which concluded last week. They also triumphed in the SANZAAR U20 Rugby Championship for the first time, beating Argentina 48-21, Australia 56-17, while their only blip this year was their 29-all draw against the Junior All Blacks last month.

So the Junior Boks will be heading to the world champs in terrific form and with plenty of confidence, but first their powerful squad will need to be trimmed down. A number of injury returns to star players who have been involved in theUnited Rugby Championshipwill also mean some strong performing players have to be left out. Players like Esethu Mnebelele (hooker), Ethan Adams and Markus Muller (both centres), Cheswill Jooste (wing) and Zekhethelo Siyaya (fullback) are all expected to be named in the final squad, and all are currently in rehab. Foote admitted after the U20 International Series came to an end at the weekend, with their win over Georgia, thatcutting the group would be tough, saying: “Now the challenge is narrowing the group to 30 players, and that’s not going to be easy, given the talent we have available.”