Siphosethu Mnebelele has been appointed Junior Springbok captain for the World Rugby U20 Championship in Georgia, stepping up after Riley Norton and Vusi Moyo were called into the Springbok squad for the Nations Championship.
The squad touched down in Tbilisi on Tuesday following a long-haul journey from Cape Town via Istanbul. On arrival, the group went straight into a recovery cycling session at a gym near their hotel before returning to the field from Wednesday to finalise preparations for their Pool A opener.
Mnebelele, a hooker, attended the official World Rugby captains' media conference in Tbilisi and acknowledged the influence Norton and Moyo had on him as a leader. "The way they carried themselves over the past two years has been a real motivating factor for me," he said. "I am close to both Riley and Vusi, and I have seen the hard work they've put in to get where they are. It is such an honour to be selected as captain of this talented group of players."
Mnebelele arrives at the tournament with recent senior exposure, having started for the SA 'A' side in their 40–0 win over Zimbabwe in Gqeberha last Saturday. The Junior Boks also carry confidence from earlier this year, when they toured Georgia and won both matches against the hosts.
Despite that familiarity with the country and the opposition, Mnebelele is measured in his expectations: "We expect every team to be competitive and to pose a real challenge. I believe we have prepared well over the past few weeks, and we are ready and excited for the tournament."
Following the media conference, the participating captains attended a captains' forum at the historic Metekhi Church in Tbilisi.
The Junior Boks open their Pool A campaign against Uruguay at Avchala Stadium on 27 June, before facing Georgia on 2 July and Wales on 7 July. The semi-finals are scheduled for 12–13 July, with the final and ranking play-offs on 17–18 July.