Scrumhalf Lohan Jacobs and flanker Lean Schwartz on Wednesday said that 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 friendlies against French Invitational XVs. With the IRB Junior World Championship taking place in Argentina later this year, the main reason for this tour is to expose the SA Under-20s to as many international fixtures as possible prior to the tournament, which kicks off on June 5.

“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.”

DIE kolforde van Grey-kollege is tydens die OUTsurance Krieketfees deur die gasheer se teenstanders ontbloot. Die span moes nou wel sonder sy veelsydige speler en kaptein, Niel Marais, klaarkom wat sy vinger op die bedryfsreg-week vir o.19-spanne gebreek het.

The start of the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola U19 cricket week in Benoni on Saturday signalled the culmination of a busy year for U19 cricket. Regarded as the pinnacle of high schools cricket, this week is the final lap for selectors to finalise their squad ahead of the ICC U19 World Cup in New Zealand in January.

Cricket South Africa’s development structures have been hard at work this year, and have scouted and groomed the best U19 talents. Most of the players at the week have been part of the Talent Acceleration Programme (TAP) and Talent camps, and have one final chance to impress before the South Africa U19 squad is announced on Thursday.

Northerns’ Josh Richards got his  quest to impress the selectors off to a good start with an excellent 104 against Border, with Northerns winning the match on first innings. Richards is a strong contender for a place in the U19 squad and also led the SA U19 Invitational XI against England U19 earlier this year. KwaZulu-Natals Bruce Kruger (116) scored the only other century of the day after most of the matches were low-scoring affairs.