Siphosethu Mnebelele will captain the Junior Springboks at the 2026 Junior World Championship in Georgia, taking the armband from Riley Norton four days before South Africa opens its title defence against Uruguay. Norton, who led the Junior Boks to the U20 world title in Italy last year, was named in Rassie Erasmus’ senior Springbok squad for the Nations Championship and made his senior debut in last Saturday’s 80-31 win over the Barbarians in Gqeberha. Mnebelele’s appointment as Junior Bok captain was confirmed on Monday, in the same release that named utility forward Thomas Beling, wing Cheswill Jooste, and wing Akahluwa Boqwana as the late additions to the touring party.
The reshuffle touches four positions in a week. Hooker Mnebelele takes the captain’s armband, Beling fills the lock spot left by Norton, Jooste comes in for the departed Moyo, and Boqwana replaces the injured Siyaya. The Junior Boks, defending champions, will depart for Georgia from Cape Town International Airport on Monday afternoon and face Uruguay at Avchala Stadium on Saturday, 27 June.
Mnebelele Replaces Norton as Junior Bok Captain
The new Junior Bok captain is a Hollywoodbets Sharks hooker. Mnebelele was part of the Junior Bok squad that beat New Zealand 23-15 in the U20 final in Italy last year, and is one of five returners from that squad named in the touring party for Georgia. The captaincy change is one of four squad moves confirmed in the release on Monday, four days before the title defence begins in Tbilisi.
Norton moves up. The DHL Stormers lock, who captained the Junior Boks to the world title in Italy, was called into the senior Springbok squad for the Nations Championship and made his senior debut in last Saturday’s 80-31 win over the Barbarians in Gqeberha. His place in the Junior Bok squad is taken by utility forward Thomas Beling, who was held back when the squad was first named on 12 June. The other two locks in the touring party, JD Hattingh and Jaythen Orange, both from the Fidelity Securedrive Lions, remain in place.
Five Returners Anchor South Africa’s Title Defence
Continuity runs through the reshuffled squad. Five of the players confirmed for Georgia were part of the Junior Bok squad that beat New Zealand 23-15 in last year’s U20 final in Italy.
The five returners, named in Monday’s release: props Oliver Reid and Rambo Kubheka, hooker and new captain Mnebelele, wing Cheswill Jooste, and fullback Alzeadon Felix. Reid, Kubheka, and Mnebelele all featured in the SA ‘A’ side’s 40-0 win over Zimbabwe in Gqeberha on Saturday and rejoined the U20 squad in Stellenbosch on Sunday. Jooste, a Vodacom Bulls wing, was held back with his province for the URC Grand Final when the squad was first announced on 12 June, and has since been released. Felix, a Fidelity Securedrive Lions fullback, was part of the Junior Bok program throughout the past week.
The five form a spine that Foote will lean on through a tournament the Junior Boks open against Uruguay. They are the only players in the touring party with U20 world championship match minutes. Jooste and Felix, who were not in the senior wider group for the 20 June double-header, stayed with the Junior Bok program throughout the week.
- Oliver Reid (prop, DHL Stormers)
- Rambo Kubheka (prop, Hollywoodbets Sharks)
- Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker and captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks)
- Cheswill Jooste (wing, Vodacom Bulls)
- Alzeadon Felix (fullback, Fidelity Securedrive Lions)
Ahmed Sits Out the First Two Matches After a Red-Card Upgrade
The captaincy change is the headline, but the wider reshuffle is driven by absences. Flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed, who joined the senior wider group for the SA ‘A’ match on Saturday, has been suspended and will miss South Africa’s first two pool fixtures in Georgia. The yellow card Ahmed received during the 40-0 win over Zimbabwe was upgraded to a 20-minute red card for a dangerous tackle. He will remain in the squad and be available from the third pool match, the fixture against Wales on 7 July.
On the injury front, utility back Zekhethelo Siyaya is the second Junior Bok ruled out of the tournament. Siyaya suffered a concussion and a facial injury in a freak collision at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, joining prop Kai Pratt on the list of unavailable players. Vodacom Bulls wing Akahluwa Boqwana, a late addition to the touring party, takes Siyaya’s place.
Foote Welcomes the Players He Lost
Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote took the captaincy change and the wider reshuffle in stride on Monday. The release from SA Rugby confirmed Foote had reached out to Norton and Vusi Moyo after their senior call-ups, and had acknowledged the Junior Boks who joined the senior setup in Gqeberha. On Norton’s captaincy replacement, Foote told the Junior Bok program that representing the Springboks is “every young player’s dream” and that the pair “thoroughly deserve their opportunity.” Foote did not name a vice-captain for the Georgia tournament in the Monday release. The release also did not say whether either Norton or Moyo would rejoin the Junior Bok program after the Nations Championship.
Injuries and call-ups to senior honours are part of the game. Fortunately, we planned for these scenarios, and the players brought into the squad are well integrated into our environment and game model. We are confident in our preparation and excited for the challenge ahead.
Kevin Foote, the Junior Bok head coach, said the program had pre-planned for the absences in the same statement. He praised the Junior Boks who featured in the SA ‘A’ side’s 40-0 win over Zimbabwe for “making us proud” with their performances, and added that their involvement “shows that we are on track in preparing the next generation of South African internationals.”
The new utility forward Thomas Beling, originally a conditional inclusion in the 12 June squad announcement, takes Norton’s spot in the touring party. Jooste, a Vodacom Bulls wing, replaces Moyo, a Hollywoodbets Sharks flyhalf, who joined Erasmus’ senior wider group. Boqwana, also a Vodacom Bulls wing, takes Siyaya’s place. The three replacements have already been integrated into the program, Foote said in the release.
On the timeline, Foote confirmed the seven Junior Boks who featured for the SA ‘A’ side in Gqeberha had rejoined the squad in Stellenbosch on Sunday. The full touring party will complete a gym and unit session in Stellenbosch before travelling from Cape Town International Airport on Monday afternoon. They open their title defence against Uruguay at Avchala Stadium four days later.
How Pool A in Tbilisi Sets Up
South Africa will defend the U20 world title in Georgia from 27 June to 18 July. The Junior Boks are grouped in Pool A alongside hosts Georgia, Wales, and Uruguay, and will be based in the Georgian capital for the pool phase. Foote’s side open their campaign against Uruguay at Avchala Stadium on the tournament’s first day. They finish the pool against Wales on 7 July.
The fixtures come in quick succession. After Uruguay on the opening day, the Junior Boks face the host Georgians on 2 July and close the pool against Wales on 7 July. The play-offs follow on 12 and 13 July, with the final placement matches on 17 July and the bronze final and final on 18 July.
Pool A runs from 27 June to 7 July, with three fixtures and rest days in between. All three pool matches are at venues in and around Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. The play-off rounds are on 12 and 13 July, with the final placement matches on 17 July. The bronze final and the world championship final are on 18 July. The full schedule was first set out in the 12 June squad announcement, and Foote has said the program is ready for the challenge ahead.
| Date | Opponent | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 27 June 2026 | Uruguay | Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi |
| 2 July 2026 | Georgia | Tbilisi |
| 7 July 2026 | Wales | Tbilisi |
| 12 July 2026 | Play-off round | Tbilisi |
| 13 July 2026 | Play-off round | Tbilisi |
| 17 July 2026 | Final placement matches | Tbilisi |
| 18 July 2026 | Bronze final and final | Tbilisi |
The 2026 Junior World Championship Squad in Full
Here is the Junior Bok touring party for the 2026 Junior World Championship, as confirmed by SA Rugby on Monday. The release identified three squad moves: utility forward Thomas Beling in for Riley Norton, wing Cheswill Jooste in for Vusi Moyo, and wing Akahluwa Boqwana in for Zekhethelo Siyaya.
The 30 players in the touring party are spread across the DHL Stormers, Hollywoodbets Sharks, Vodacom Bulls, and Fidelity Securedrive Lions. Hooker Mnebelele, one of two Sharks hookers in the squad, will captain the side in Norton’s absence. The squad was originally named for the Georgia tournament on 12 June, with Beling and Jooste held back pending their release. The full squad, by position:
| Position | Player | Franchise |
|---|---|---|
| Props | Oliver Reid | DHL Stormers |
| Props | Rambo Kubheka | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
| Props | Jordan Jooste | DHL Stormers |
| Props | Danie Kruger | DHL Stormers |
| Props | Luan van der Berg | Vodacom Bulls |
| Hookers | Siphosethu Mnebelele (captain) | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
| Hookers | Liam van Wyk | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
| Locks | Heinrich Theron | Vodacom Bulls |
| Locks | Jaythen Orange | Fidelity Securedrive Lions |
| Locks | JD Hattingh | Fidelity Securedrive Lions |
| Loose forwards | Kebotile Maake | Vodacom Bulls |
| Loose forwards | Risima Khosa | Fidelity Securedrive Lions |
| Loose forwards | Luke Cannon | Fidelity Securedrive Lions |
| Loose forwards | Wasi Vyambwera | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
| Loose forwards | Vuyo Gwiji | Fidelity Securedrive Lions |
| Loose forwards | Gert Kemp | DHL Stormers |
| Utility forward | Thomas Beling | Vodacom Bulls |
| Scrumhalves | Hendré Schoeman | Vodacom Bulls |
| Scrumhalves | Jayden Brits | DHL Stormers |
| Flyhalf | Yaqeen Ahmed | DHL Stormers |
| Centres | Ethan Adams | Fidelity Securedrive Lions |
| Centres | Samuel Badenhorst | DHL Stormers |
| Centres | Markus Muller | DHL Stormers |
| Outside and utility backs | Luan Giliomee | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
| Outside and utility backs | Khuthadzo Rasivhaga | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
| Outside and utility backs | Cheswill Jooste | Vodacom Bulls |
| Outside and utility backs | Jack Benade | DHL Stormers |
| Outside and utility backs | Jordan Steenkamp | DHL Stormers |
| Outside and utility backs | Akahluwa Boqwana | Vodacom Bulls |
| Outside and utility backs | Alzeadon Felix | Fidelity Securedrive Lions |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new Junior Bok captain?
Hollywoodbets Sharks hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele takes the Junior Bok captaincy for the 2026 Junior World Championship in Georgia. Mnebelele was part of the Junior Bok squad that beat New Zealand 23-15 in last year’s U20 final in Italy. He was confirmed as Norton’s replacement on Monday, 22 June, four days before the Junior Boks’ opening fixture against Uruguay in Tbilisi.
Why did Norton leave the Junior Boks?
Norton was called up to the senior Springbok squad for the Nations Championship and made his senior debut in last Saturday’s 80-31 win over the Barbarians in Gqeberha. The DHL Stormers lock has been added to Erasmus’ senior wider group, alongside Vusi Moyo, a Hollywoodbets Sharks flyhalf, who has also left the Junior Bok setup. Both are unavailable for the U20 tournament.
When and where is the 2026 Junior World Championship?
The tournament runs from 27 June to 18 July, with all pool matches played in and around Tbilisi, Georgia. The bronze final and the world championship final are scheduled for 18 July.
Which group is South Africa drawn in?
South Africa are in Pool A alongside hosts Georgia, Wales, and Uruguay. The Junior Boks open against Uruguay at Avchala Stadium on 27 June, then face Georgia on 2 July and Wales on 7 July. The play-off rounds follow on 12 and 13 July, with the final placement matches on 17 July.
Who replaces Zekhethelo Siyaya, and what happened to him?
Wing Akahluwa Boqwana, a Vodacom Bulls product, has been drafted in to replace Siyaya in the touring party. Siyaya suffered a concussion and a facial injury in a freak collision during the SA ‘A’ side’s 40-0 win over Zimbabwe in Gqeberha on Saturday. He joins prop Kai Pratt on the Junior Boks’ list of unavailable players.
Which Junior Boks are out of the opening fixtures?
Yaqeen Ahmed, the first-choice flyhalf, will miss the first two pool matches after his yellow card was upgraded to a 20-minute red card for a dangerous tackle in the SA ‘A’ win over Zimbabwe. He will be available from the third pool match against Wales on 7 July. Zekhethelo Siyaya and Kai Pratt are out of the tournament entirely through injury.
