Numerous South African Schools players, but also a good representation of local talent is amongst the 34 players who signed junior contracts with the Blue Bulls Company Pty (Ltd) for the 2012 season and will be available to the numerous Blue Bulls representative sides next year.

Amongst them are the highly rated Jan Serfontein, who is seen by most pundits as the leading schools centre in the country, as well as SA Schools team-mate Dries Swanepoel and Jacques du Plessis, who played lock for the national side that beat France Under-19 in a recent international.

All three signed contracts before the Craven Week already.

The union’s youth development policy also delivered and a whole bunch of players who represented the Blue Bulls and Limpopo Blue Bulls was offered contracts.

The Head of rugby at the Blue Bulls Company, Heyneke Meyer, expressed his satisfaction with the group.

“They have been identified from the best schoolboys out there and should address all the needs we identified for the future. I actually think this will be the best group we have ever assembled at this level and we are keen to not only make them part of the Blue Bulls family, but to walk a long and successful road to the future with them.”

The following players signed contracts with the BBC and will be in their employ from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2013:

Props: Justin Forwood (Blue Bulls), Jan Enslin (Eastern Province), Andrew Beerwinkel (Boland, SA Schools), Neethling Fouché (Free State, SA Schools 2010), Ryan Germishuys (Border).

Hookers: Hamish Herd (Pumas), Jacques Taylor (KwaZulu Natal).

Locks: Irne Herbst (Blue Bulls, SA Schools), Philip du Preez (Golden Lions, SA Schools), Jannes Kirsten (Blue Bulls), Jacques du Plessis (Pumas, SA Schools), Dennis Visser (Blue Bulls).

Loose Forwards: Roelof Smit (Blue Bulls), Leneve Damens (Free State, SA Schools), Bernie Roux (Blue Bulls), Christiaan de Bruyn (Blue Bulls), Ferdi Horn (KwaZulu Natal), Clyde Davids (Western Province), Paul Janse van Rensburg (Blue Bulls), Nicolaas Immelman (Free State).

Scrumhalves: Kefentse Mahlo (Blue Bulls Limpopo), Carlo Engelbrecht (Blue Bulls).

Flyhalves: François Tredoux (Blue Bulls), Dalton Kannemeyer (Western Province Academy, SA Academy).

Centres: Jan Serfontein (Free State, SA Schools), Dean Moolman (KwaZulu Natal), Lood de Jager (Eastern Province CD), Dries Swanepoel (Free State, SA Schools), Craig Geldenhuys (KwaZulu Natal), Jason Kriel (Boland).

Wings: Ruwellyn Isbell (Free State, SA Schools), Ayabona Masiba (Border).

Fullbacks: Neil Meyer (Pumas), Jacques Rossouw (Boland).