The Junior Springboks return to action in Gqeberha for the SANZAAR U20 Championship with confidence, fresh talent and a point to prove.
Gqeberha, South Africa (20 April 2026) – South Africa’s national under-20 rugby union team is ready to go again.
Fresh off a breakthrough year that saw them crowned champions, the Junior Boks are shifting gears towards the next big test, with the SANZAAR Under-20 Rugby Championship kicking off in Gqeberha. It’s the first real look at a new generation stepping up, but with just enough of last year’s winning DNA still in the mix.
Captain Riley Norton leads the charge, heading up a squad that blends experience and exciting young talent. Among them are a handful of players who were part of that unforgettable 2025 campaign in Italy, where South Africa ended a 13-year wait to lift the World Rugby U20 Championship trophy. That victory reintroduced the Junior Boks as a serious force on the global stage.
Now, the big question is what comes next?
Head coach Kevin Foote has put his faith in a group that’s been pushed hard in preparation, trimming down a larger training squad into a final 31-man team ready to take on the southern hemisphere’s best.
“We asked a lot of the group over the past two weeks, because we wanted to step up the intensity and increase their fitness, and they responded splendidly.”
While the squad may have a fresh look, the ambition remains the same. There’s a sense that this team isn’t just starting a new chapter, they’re building on something that already sparked belief across South African rugby.
“Unfortunately, we can only take a squad of 31, and so we feel for those players who missed out on final selection. We will fine-tune our final preparations in Gqeberha before our opening match on 27 April against Argentina.”
With the Junior World Championship later this year already on the horizon, this tournament becomes more than just a competition. It’s a chance to test combinations and start asking whether lightning can strike twice.
For now, focus turns to Gqeberha. The champions are back!
Sources: SA Rugby
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