Junior World Cup Italy 2015
gpfoto
Sports Photography
The Junior Springbok squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy gpfoto 1
#8 Hanro Liebenberg (Vodacom Blue Bulls – captain)
gpfoto 2
gpfoto 3
gpfoto 4
gpfoto 5
gpfoto 6
gpfoto 7
gpfoto 8
gpfoto 9
gpfoto 10
gpfoto 11
gpfoto 12
gpfoto 13
gpfoto 14
gpfoto 15
gpfoto 16
gpfoto 17
gpfoto 18
gpfoto 19
gpfoto 20
gpfoto 21
gpfoto 22
gpfoto 23
gpfoto 24
gpfoto 25
gpfoto 26
gpfoto 27
gpfoto 28
gpfoto 29
gpfoto 30
gpfoto 31
gpfoto 32
gpfoto 33
gpfoto 34
gpfoto 35
gpfoto 36
gpfoto 37
gpfoto 38
gpfoto 39
gpfoto 40
HANRO LIEBENBERG PERSONAL INFORMATION Born 10 October 1995, Brackenfell South Africa Height 1.96 m Weight 110 kg Schools attended Bastion Primary School, Brackenfell Drostdy Technical High School, Worcester Position No 8 Current Club Blue Bulls, Pretoria South Africa Career Youth Hanro Liebenberg was twice selected to represent Boland at the annual Under-18 Craven Week tournaments; in 2012 and he once again played in 2013, captaining the side. Blue Bulls After finishing school, Hanro made the move to Pretoria to join the Blue Bulls, following in the footsteps of older brother Wiaan who made the move three years earlier. He represented the Blue Bulls U19 side in the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship, quickly establishing himself as a key player for the side. He started thirteen of their fourteen matches during the campaign, scoring seven tries (including a hat-trick in their derby match against Golden Lions) as the Blue Bulls made it all the way to the final of the competition, where they lost to Western Province U19 in Cape Town. In January 2015 Hanro Liebenberg made his debut for the Vodacom Super Rugby side in their pre-season friendly against the Toyota Cheetahs in Polokwane. He was also part of the squad that toured to London to play a friendly match against Saracens. Hanro was named on the bench for the Bulls’
gpfoto 41
Round Two match against the Hurricanes in Pretoria. He made his debut, coming on an as injury replacement in the first half. He got his first start against the Crusaders on 28 March 2015 where he produced a stellar performance against his childhood heroes, Richie McCaw and Kieran Read. Local media reported that “the fearless exuberance of youth outplayed the mechanical processes of experience”. In March 2015, Liebenberg was named in a South Africa Under-20 training group as part of their preparation for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship. He featured for them in a friendly match against a Varsity Cup Dream Team in April 2015, where he played against older brother, Wiaan Liebenberg. Wiaan captained the SA Under 20 team in 2012, winning the IRB Junior World Championship in Cape Town. In May 2015, Hanro was included in the S.A. Under-20 squad that toured Argentina. He was then included in the final squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship and was named captain of the side following in his older brother’s footsteps. Hanro captained the SA team in all 5 matches in Italy. South Africa finished in a commendable third place at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship beating France in their play-off match. The young South Africans suffered their only loss of the tournament to England in the semi-finals after they had put together an impressive run of three wins during the pool stages. New-Zeeland was crowned the 2015 Champions defeating England 21-16. South Africa’s results during the 2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy: 2 June 2015 Calvisano Italy South Africa 33 Italy 5
6 June 2015 Parma Italy South Africa 40 Samoa 8 10 June 2015 Calvisano Italy South Africa 46 Australia 13 15 June 2015 Calvisano Italy South Africa 20 England 28 20 June 2015 Cremona Italy South Africa 31 France 18 Future In June 2015, Hanro Liebenberg extended his contract at the Bulls until October 2017. According to the supersport.com website, Hanro Liebenberg is destined for big things. At a young age he has made an indelible impression in the rugby world and his career will be followed with anticipation.
Junior Springboks arrive back in South Africa Jun 22 • BabyBoks U20, Springboks arrive back in South Africa Team achieves 90 % win-rate for the season The Junior Springboks returned to South Africa on Monday from Italy where they finished in a commendable third place at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship. The young South Africans suffered their only loss of the tournament to England in the semi-finals after they had put together an impressive run of three wins during the pool stages. Dawie Theron’s side played ten matches this season – five in the build-up to the Under-20 Championship and another five matches during the tournament in Italy. Despite being disappointed with the England result, Theron was pleased with the overall performance of his team this year. “We played two matches against the Western Province Rugby Institute, had an outing against a more experienced Varsity Cup Dream Team and completed a very successful tour of Argentina. We also managed to win four of our five tournament matches in Italy, which gives us a success rate of 90 percent for a second successive season,” explained Theron. The Junior Bok coach praised his medical and conditioning staff for their outstanding player management during the season. “I cannot speak highly enough of our medical and conditioning team. For the first time ever we had all 28 players available, fit and ready for selection for all five matches in Italy, which was something remarkable given our physical approach.
“They worked tirelessly during the extensive training camp, our tour to Argentina and during the U20 Championship. The weather conditions were very different over there and we had to tweak our approach and training times because of the scorching heat. “The squad adjusted well to our alternative approach and for this I must commend our entire management team, who worked hard behind the scenes,” said Theron. According to the SA Under-20 coach the defeat against England highlighted a few valuable lessons. “We will work harder with our future leadership group so that they are able to deal much better with adjustments on the field when things don’t go our way. I especially liked the can-do attitude of the players and I am convinced that a number of them will go on and play good rugby at senior level,” added Theron. He praised the emergence of Vodacom Blue Bulls lock Jason Jenkins and also said good performances by props Ox Nche (Toyota Free State Cheetahs) and Thomas du Toit (Cell C Cheetahs) gave the team good momentum in set pieces. “Jason is a remarkable story. I think he only started to play rugby in his second-last year at school and showed great promise for us this year. Thomas coped well with his switch from loosehead to tighthead while Leolin Zas caught the attention amongst the backs,” said Theron. Three players in the 28-man squad will still be eligible for the 2016 tournament in Manchester. They are Marco Jansen van Vuren (scrumhalf), Tinus de Beer (fly half) and JT Jackson (centre).
Jenkins SA U20’s feel-good story Mon, 22 Jun 2015 15:29
I liked the can-do attitude South Africa may have stumbled over the semifinal hurdle, but there is at least one feel-good story to emerge from the Junior Springboks’ Under-20 World Cup campaign. The emergence of Blue Bulls lock Jason Jenkins is one of the highlights of a tournament that failed to live up to expectations, according to SA U20 coach Dawie Theron. He praised the emergence of Jenkins and also said good performances by props Tshego Nche (Free State Cheetahs) and Thomas du Toit (Sharks) gave the team good momentum in set pieces. “Jason is a remarkable story,” Theron said on Monday, after the team’s return from Italy - where they won bronze at the weekend. “I think he only started to play rugby in his second-last year at school and showed great promise for us this year.” Jenkins, in fact, played hockey and cricket at St Alban’s College and only took up rugby at age 16. Theron was also full of praise for other emerging stars. “Thomas coped well with his switch from loosehead to tighthead, while Leolin Zas caught the attention amongst the backs,” he added. According to Theron the semifinal defeat against England highlighted a few valuable lessons. “We will work harder with our future leadership group so that they are able to deal much better with adjustments on the field when things don’t go our way. “I especially liked the can-do attitude of the players and I am convinced that a number of them will go on and play good rugby at senior level,” added Theron.
gpfoto 42
South Africa
Hyron Andrews, Rikus Bothma, Dan du Preez, Jean-Luc du Preez, Thomas du Toit, Joseph Dweba, Njabulo Gumede, Jason Jenkins, Hanro Liebenberg (captain), Mzamo Majola, Ox Nche, Abongile Nonkontwana, RG Snyman, Jan van der Merwe, Frans van Wyk, Jacques Vermeulen, Tinus de Beer, Daniel du Plessis, Warrick Gelant, Grant Hermanus, JT Jackson, Malcolm Jaer, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Khanyo Ngcukana, Brandon Thomson, Ivan van Zyl, EW Viljoen, Leolin Zas gpfoto
my photos, your story
gpfoto@ymail.com +353 (087) 2424123 Š All rights reserved