
Pegasus Publishing
February 21, 2025 at 11:39 AM
๐จ ๐๐๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ธ๐ ๐ป๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐พ๐๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ด๐ถ๐ฎ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ
With one productive opposed training session already under their belts, the Junior Springboks are now ready to switch to game mode when they face their Georgian Under-20 counterparts in Tbilisi on Sunday afternoon (16h00 SA time).
The teams have agreed to allow rolling substitutions for the first meeting, meaning all 30 squad members will get to taste some action. Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote has named Thando Biyela (No 8), a former SA U18 representative, to lead the team on Sunday.
Foote said the Junior Boks will be eager to gauge their progress and skills against a Georgian side who are known for their physicality, while the expected cold conditions will also challenge the visitors, who experienced freezing temperatures when they kicked off their tour on Wednesday afternoon with a live training session against the Lelo Saracens rugby club.
โWe are looking forward to challenge and to implement our game plan against a very physical opponent,โ said Foote.
โOur set piece, physicality and kicking game is of course key elements of the South African way and DNA, so it would be nice to see how the boys adopt to the cold weather and implement the game plan.โ
โThe cold conditions are quite an adjustment, but the group have taken it in their stride. We understand the prediction for Sunday can be as low as minus six degrees, which will pose an interesting challenge considering we came from warm summer conditions in Stellenbosch.
โWe cannot control the weather, but (we can determine our) our own action and attitude, and I think we are all doing a good job around that. Therefore, it will be important for us to be smart against the opposition, as they are accustomed to the local conditions.โ
Foote views the groupโs off-field relationships just as important: โItโs not only about connecting on the field, which is obviously very important, and we are constantly working on that.
โHowever, we are putting a lot of effort into getting to know each other off the field of play, stressing the importance of what the SA Rugby badge means for all of us and the people back home.
โWe had a couple of team-building exercises which are designed to strengthen togetherness, and itโs something we are constantly working on. It is great seeing the guys coming together as a group and experience the different environment and culture.โ
The final match of the tour is scheduled for 15h00 on Friday, 28 February.
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