Junior Springbok coach Bafana Nhleko at training. (Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)

• Three players will debut for the Junior Springboks in their World Rugby Under-20 Championship opener against Fiji.
• The team has made several line-up changes from their last match at the SANZAAR Under-20 Rugby Championship, focusing on strong set-piece play and decision-making.
• Injuries have led to squad adjustments, with new replacements stepping in as the team prepares for their upcoming matches in Pool C against Argentina and England.
• For more rugby news, visit our dedicated section.

Three players will debut for the Junior Springboks in their World Rugby Under-20 Championship opener against Fiji at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday (kick-off is at 19:00).

There are starts for hooker Luca Bakkes and flyhalf Liam Koen, while outside back Likhona Finca will come off the bench in the side captained by prop Zachary Porthen.

READ | No place for ‘suurgat’ players in Bok setup, says Rassie as Ireland Test preps ramp up

The rest of the side consists of players who recently played in the SANZAAR Under-20 Rugby Championship in Queensland, Australia.

The starting line-up has five changes and a positional switch from the run-on side that beat Argentina in the last Rugby Championship match at the Sunshine Coast Stadium in Queensland, while there are several tweaks among the reserves.

Apart from Bakkes’ inclusion in the front row in place of Juan Smal, there is also a change at No 4 lock, with Thomas Dyer sitting out because of a niggle, and the versatile Bathobele Hlekani moves from the side of the scrum to form the lock partnership with JF van Heerden.

Thabang Mphafi, who played off the bench against the Argentina U20s, fills Hlekani’s position at No 7 flank, with Siba Mahashe (No 6) and Tiaan Jacobs (No 8) the rest of the loose forwards.

Koen partners scrumhalf Asad Moos in a new-look half-back pairing.

The only other backline change sees Michail Damon in the fullback position, in place of Bruce Sherwood who donned the No 15 jersey in their previous match.

Junior Bok coach Bafana Nhleko said the team has worked hard over the past week and worked on the lessons from the Rugby Championship in Down Under, and they are ready to meet the challenge of Fiji on Saturday.

“We had a good holding camp in Stellenbosch last week, and since our move to our tournament base in Green Point on Tuesday, the focus has been on fine-tuning preparations,” Nhleko said.

Fiji come into the tournament as a well-oiled combination because of their recent success in the Oceania tournament over their Pacific neighbours Tonga, Moana Pasifika and Samoa.

“Fiji are a team with threats all around the park, big strong boys with excellent balls skills and dangerous with ball in hand. You need to be on it for 80 minutes, concentration wise, to deal with their threats.

The match is the first of three Pool C matches for the SA Under 20s, whose other group games are against Argentina and England.

Meanwhile, the squad also had to make three replacements because of recent injuries. Prop Reno Hirst, lock Adam de Waal and fullback JC Marsh will all miss the Championship through injury.

Their replacements are Herman Lubbe (prop, Western Province), Jaco Grobbelaar (lock, Bulls) and Hassiem Pead (fullback, Western Province).

“It’s unfortunate when injuries happen, especially for guys like Adam and Reno, who worked so hard (from previous injuries) to give themselves a shot at the competition, but it is part of the game. We wish them a speedy recovery,” said Nhleko.

“JC could still feature later in the competition and, potentially, has next year as well. In the same breath, it’s great to welcome Hassiem back to the squad and Jaco, who missed the Australia tour due to injury – congratulations to both and we are excited to see their growth.”

Junior Boks team vs Fiji, Saturday, 29 June at the Cape Town Stadium:

15 Michail Damon, 14 Joel Leotlela, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Joshua Boulle, 11 Litelihle Bester, 10 Liam Koen , 9 Asad Moos , 8 Tiaan Jacobs, 7 Thabang Mphafi , 6 Sibabalwe Mahashe, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Bathobele Hlekani , 3 Zachary Porthen (captain), 2 Luca Bakkes , 1 Ruan Swart

Subtitutes: 16 Juan Smal, 17 Liyema Ntshanga, 18 Casper Badenhorst, 19 Keanu Coetsee , 20 Divan Fuller, 21 Ezekiel Ngobeni, 22 Tylor Sefoor , 23 Likhona Finca