The Junior Springboks broke a drought that has lasted 13 long years by powering to a 23-15 win over the Junior All Blacks in the final of the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Rovigo in Italy, on Saturday night.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐊𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 🇿🇦🏆#SSRugby | #WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/k5sKx4XdIW

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 19, 2025

The word ‘powering’ is the most apt one to use to describe how Riley Norton’s team won South Africa’s second global under-20 title (it was the World Junior Championship when they won it in 2012) for although there was only eight points in it at the end, the winners were so dominant that they should have lost by a lot more.

Indeed, they might have wondered if fate was against them when they had a try to their impressive scrumhalf Hashim Pead chalked off with 18 minutes to go. It was the right call, for the replay showed that the New Zealand scrumhalf was blocked when Pead peeled around from a dominant scrum to dot down for what at the time looked like the clinching try. They were 16-8 ahead at the time, and the try would have put the All Blacks out of the game.

The Junior Boks get their try ⚡

Haashim Pead spots the space and Jaco Williams finishes it off 💪💪#SSRugby | #WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/QhNiNWB7Ht

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 19, 2025

Then minutes later, flyhalf Vusi Moyo, so impeccable with his goalkicking boot in the entire game and throughout the tournament, missed a penalty. There had been other opportunities missed by the Junior Boks, such as when wing Jaco Williams ran onto a Moyo cross kick but just couldn’t dot the ball down.

POWERHOUSE SCRUMMING

It was a night where the Junior Boks had been denied by several of those fine margins, and the All Blacks disrupted them with their defensive lineout early on, yet the one thing that remained constant was the powerful South African scrumming and equally forceful driving that kept the Junior All Blacks on the back foot for most of the way.

The Junior Boks also had a telling territory advantage, and the Junior All Blacks would have felt they were being suffocated for much of the game. In that sense, they did well, with their defence that won them their semifinal against France keeping them in the game until finally the Boks made it safe when fullback Gilemo Mentoe ran onto a kick with under four minutes left to power his team into a 21-8 lead that became 23-8 with Moyo’s successful angled conversion.

MENTOE’S TRY WAS GAME, SET AND MATCH

It was game, set and match, and perhaps the young Boks relaxed, for they allowed the big Kiwi winger Maloni Kunawave to exploit some shoddy defence to barge through for his team’s second try. But with just a minute to go, it was too little, too late, and it was just a consolation try that put a false gloss on the final scoreline from the All Black viewpoint.

The Junior Boks made their statement early as No 8 Wandile Mbata dotted down from an impressive driving maul that was set up by an early penalty. The scrum statement happened soon after that, but the Junior Boks did have to also prove their defensive mettle a few times in the game.

There was a long period where the All Blacks launched wave after wave of multi-phase attacks and the Boks did brilliantly to keep them out. When they did eventually concede, it was from an All Black trick play at the lineout, with All Black No 5 lock looping around to the front of the lineout to go over in the right corner.

OUTSTANDING KIWI DEFENCE KEPT THEM IN THE GAME

The conversion from Rico Simpson did not find its mark, so when Moyo kicked two penalties, it stretched the Boks into a lead of more than a score. In truth, they came close on several occasions to make it more than that, but the All Blacks did well to resist and keep the Boks to just three points during the time that they were down to 14 men after loosehead prop Siko Pole had his initial yellow card upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker for an upright tackle that made head contact.

For half that time, the Boks were also down to 14 men, however, with centre Albie Bester being yellow-carded for a dangerous cleanout. It was the last eight minutes of the half that it was 14 against 14, but it didn’t really stop the Boks from looking like the dominant team, with that domination being stamped in the collisions as well as the scrums and, as the game wore on, more and more with their driving maul.

The young All Blacks did start the second half with intent and carried the ball through multi-phase attacks for more than six minutes. Somehow, the Boks resisted, and when they conceded a penalty, their opponents elected to kick it through the posts to reduce the Junior Boks' lead to five points.

Being back within a score didn’t last long for the Kiwis, however, as Moyo kicked another penalty to make it 16-8. It was the Boks applying most if not all the pressure by then and it felt like just a matter of time before they would put the game to bed. It took longer than anticipated, but in truth, the New Zealanders were well and truly strangled on the night.

There was some impressive running and handling from both teams, given the conditions and there might have been more tries in the game had it not been for the two excellent defensive systems that were on duty on the night.

Look at the scenes at full-time 🤩

The Junior Boks end their 13-year wait to win the #WorldRugbyU20s title 🇿🇦🏆#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/2iBLMZZeLw

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 19, 2025

The Junior All Blacks were looking for a record seventh under-20 title and fell short. They tend to win finals, with the last time they lost being to the Junior Boks back in the Newlands final in 2012. The Junior Boks finished behind New Zealand in the recent Rugby Championship under-20 tournament, and were also beaten by Australia in that tournament, so their win in the final completed a stunning reversal. Even more impressive for the group that won in Italy was that they were following up from a seventh-place finish in last year’s tournament.

Scores

Junior Springboks 23 - Tries: Wandile Mlaba and Gilermo Mentoe, Conversions: Vusi Moyo 2; Penalties: Vusi Moyo 3.

Junior All Blacks 15 - Tries: Jaden Sa and Maloni Kunawave; Conversion: Lloyd Cole; Penalty: Rico Simpson.

The Junior Springboks have named an unchanged match-23 for Saturday evening’s much-anticipated World Rugby Under-20 Championship Final against New Zealand in Rovigo, Italy.

Lock Riley Norton will once again lead a familiar-looking side that has featured in most of the pool matches, as well as Monday’s semifinal victory over Argentina.

The unchanged line-up means the bench will again feature a split of six forwards and two backs in what promises to be an epic battle between the two southern hemisphere rugby rivals.

Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote said the SA Under-20s have done well to reach the final and they are excited to face their greatest rivals with a settled side.

“This has been our settled combination for most of the year, and the team play with great synergy,” said Foote, who admitted it was yet again difficult to leave players out of the match-day squad.

“Given how well everyone has played, it was such a difficult task to leave anyone out. We are grateful for the absolute selflessness of the players not selected for Saturday’s final, and for how hard they are training to ensure the team is well prepared for New Zealand.

“We decided to pick six forwards on the bench yet again, as they made a difference in the semifinal against Argentina, and we also learned some valuable lessons when we faced New Zealand in the Under-20 Rugby Championship in South Africa a few months ago.”

Saturday’s decider marks the Junior Boks’ first appearance in the final since 2014, and it’s a repeat of the 2012 final in which South Africa beat New Zealand at Newlands in Cape Town.

The SA Under-20s have been in rampant form throughout the Championship in Italy, posting comprehensive wins over Australia, defending champions England, and Scotland in the group stage, followed by a hard-earned victory over a gritty Argentina in the semifinals on Monday evening.

South Africa’s dynamic pack of forwards has laid an excellent platform for their electric backline to score some eye-catching tries. The Junior Bok halfback pairing of Haashim Pead (scrumhalf) and Vusi Moyo (flyhalf) are among the tournament’s leading points scorers.

Pead has scored six tries in four games – the most by any player so far this year – while also providing numerous assists for teammates. Moyo has racked up 50 points across his four appearances, placing him at the top of the overall points’ scoring chart.

New Zealand, like South Africa, are unbeaten in the tournament, having topped Pool B before dispatching a dangerous French side in the semifinals to set up an exciting final showdown with the Junior Boks.

The World Rugby Under-20 Championship Final kicks off at 8:30pm and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

THE JUNIOR SPRINGBOK TEAM TO FACE NEW ZEALAND IN ROVIGO:

15 Gilermo Mentoe

14 Cheswill Jooste

13 Demitre Erasmus

12 Albie Bester

11 Jaco Williams

10 Vusi Moyo

9 Haashim Pead

8 Wandile Mlaba

7 Bathobele Hlekani

6 Xola Nyali

5 JJ Theron

4 Riley Norton (captain)

3 Herman Lubbe

2 Siphosethu Mnebelele

1 Simphiwe Ngobese

REPLACEMENTS:

16 Jaundré Schoeman

17 Oliver Reid

18 Jean Erasmus

19 Jaco Grobbelaar

20 Matt Romao

21 Stephanus Linde

22 Ceano Everson

23 Dominic Malgas

Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote and captain Riley Norton credited their hard work and defence after the South Africans beat Argentina in Viadana on Monday night to book their place in Saturday’s World Rugby Under-20 Championship final against New Zealand.

The Junior Boks scored six tries to three in their 48-24 semifinal victory – four of those in the first half for a 28-10 lead at the break – but were made to work hard on defence in the second period by a resolute Argentina, who came storming back through their forwards and a rampant rolling maul.

The Junior Boks quickly raced into a 28-3 lead and looked to be in full control of the match, but Argentina dug in and gave themselves hope just before halftime with their first try.

The Pumitas then cut the deficit to 11 points (28-17) with a second try, but the South Africans hot back with two penalty goals by flyhalf Vusi Moyo before Albie Bester scored his second try.

Although Argentina scored a third try, Junior Bok Cheswill Jooste went over after the buzzer to seal the victory, which booked South Africa a spot in the championship final for the first time since 2014.

Speaking after the game, Foote credited the team’s fighting spirit during that period in the second half when Argentina threatened.

“Every player gave his all, leading exceptionally well in his respective position,” said Foote.

“Their collective effort is a testament to their hard work and alignment, with the leadership group setting the tone. I believe they are a truly humble group, and we’re well aware of how much effort we’ve put in leading up to this tournament.

“It was a very tough and physical match, and the conditions were extremely challenging with the humidity, but I must give credit to our players for their performance. They were rewarded for their hard work against a strong Argentinian side.”

Norton echoed his coach’s sentiment on their defensive effort, which proved the big difference in the end: “I think our defence has improved tremendously from the Rugby Championship; we’ve had valuable time together during that tournament and working on it more coming into this event in Italy.

“I am just so incredibly proud of the team for an outstanding effort against a tough opponent,” said Norton, adding that they knew what Argentina would bring to the contest.

“We know Argentina get their energy from their set piece,” he said.

“They are a great mauling side so when they get on top of you, you just have to manage it and keep on fighting. The players just stayed in the fight and focused on the next job and that’s why we could defend for such a long period.”

HOT AND CHALLENGING CONDITIONS

The tournament is played in hot and challenging summer conditions in Italy, which according to Foote, requires careful planning.

“The bus trip to get to the game takes two hours and we finished our captains run at around 10am the previous day, so its boils down to getting your preparation right,” said Foote.

“We found a little base close to the stadium where we could relax before the game, and the guys didn’t have to worry about getting stuck in traffic or other things which might have been out of our control.

“Zingi Hela, our team manager, and the backroom staff have been outstanding with that preparation. Even sitting in the coach’s box tonight our hands were sweating; I must give credit to our handling skills of the ball under very taxing conditions.”

Saturday’s final between the Junior Boks and New Zealand in Rovigo will kick off at 8:30pm and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

FOOTE AND NORTON CREDIT JUNIOR BOK DEFENCE FOR WIN OVER ARGENTINA

Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote and captain Riley Norton credited their hard work and defence after the South Africans beat Argentina in Viadana on Monday night to book their place in Saturday’s World Rugby Under-20 Championship final against New Zealand.

The Junior Boks scored six tries to three in their 48-24 semifinal victory – four of those in the first half for a 28-10 lead at the break – but were made to work hard on defence in the second period by a resolute Argentina, who came storming back through their forwards and a rampant rolling maul.

The Junior Boks quickly raced into a 28-3 lead and looked to be in full control of the match, but Argentina dug in and gave themselves hope just before halftime with their first try.

The Pumitas then cut the deficit to 11 points (28-17) with a second try, but the South Africans hot back with two penalty goals by flyhalf Vusi Moyo before Albie Bester scored his second try.

Although Argentina scored a third try, Junior Bok Cheswill Jooste went over after the buzzer to seal the victory, which booked South Africa a spot in the championship final for the first time since 2014.

FIGHTING SPIRIT

Speaking after the game, Foote credited the team’s fighting spirit during that period in the second half when Argentina threatened.

“Every player gave his all, leading exceptionally well in his respective position,” said Foote.

“Their collective effort is a testament to their hard work and alignment, with the leadership group setting the tone. I believe they are a truly humble group, and we’re well aware of how much effort we’ve put in leading up to this tournament.

“It was a very tough and physical match, and the conditions were extremely challenging with the humidity, but I must give credit to our players for their performance. They were rewarded for their hard work against a strong Argentinian side.”

Norton echoed his coach’s sentiment on their defensive effort, which proved the big difference in the end: “I think our defence has improved tremendously from the Rugby Championship; we’ve had valuable time together during that tournament and working on it more coming into this event in Italy.

“I am just so incredibly proud of the team for an outstanding effort against a tough opponent,” said Norton, adding that they knew what Argentina would bring to the contest.

“We know Argentina get their energy from their set piece,” he said.

“They are a great mauling side so when they get on top of you, you just have to manage it and keep on fighting. The players just stayed in the fight and focused on the next job and that’s why we could defend for such a long period.”

The tournament is played in hot and challenging summer conditions in Italy, which according to Foote, requires careful planning.

“The bus trip to get to the game takes two hours and we finished our captains run at around 10am the previous day, so its boils down to getting your preparation right,” said Foote.

“We found a little base close to the stadium where we could relax before the game, and the guys didn’t have to worry about getting stuck in traffic or other things which might have been out of our control.

“Zingi Hela, our team manager, and the backroom staff have been outstanding with that preparation. Even sitting in the coach’s box tonight our hands were sweating; I must give credit to our handling skills of the ball under very taxing conditions.”

Saturday’s final between the Junior Boks and New Zealand in Rovigo will kick off at 20h30 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

 

© SA Rugby

After making a few rotational changes for their last Pool A match against Scotland, which the SA Under-20s won by 73-14 in Calvisano, Foote has selected mainly the same combination that defeated Australia and England in their first two group games.

For Monday’s important knockout match with Los Pumitas, Demitre Erasmus is back at outside centre after missing the England clash due to illness and coming off the bench against Scotland.

Jaco Williams is retained at left wing for his second start in a row since replacing Siya Ndlozi, who returned home with a hamstring injury sustained against England.

The Junior Bok pack remains the same as the combination that faced Australia and England, with Norton leading a starting team that have impressed with their physicality and ability to create plenty of scoring opportunities with their speedy outside backs.

However, Foote has opted for six forwards and two backs on the bench for the semifinal in a bid to use their explosive forwards and attack the Argentina pack, with No 8 Stephanus Linde now the extra forward among the replacements.

'IN FOR A FIGHT'

Foote said it was a tough task to select the team to face Argentina: “It was so difficult to leave out anybody because the players did so well against Scotland. My message to those who weren’t selected for the match-23 is to help us prepare the starting team as best as we can.”

According to Foote, Argentina’s forward prowess will be a huge test for the SA Under-20s, which is one of the reasons why he has decided to go with a six-two split on the bench.

“The Argentinians are very confrontational and physical, and they play with lots of passion,” he said. “We know we are in for a fight, which is why we went for six forwards on the bench, because we have so much respect for them.”

The SA Under-20s are one of three southern hemisphere teams in the world championship semifinals, alongside Argentina and New Zealand, who face France in their playoff at 6pm.

The Junior Boks’ match will kick off at 8.30pm and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

THE JUNIOR SPRINGBOK TEAM TO FACE ARGENTINA IN VIADANA:

15 Gilermo Mentoe
14 Cheswill Jooste
13 Demitre Erasmus
12 Albie Bester
11 Jaco Williams
10 Vusi Moyo
9 Haashim Pead
8 Wandile Mlaba
7 Bathobele Hlekani
6 Xola Nyali
5 JJ Theron
4 Riley Norton (captain)
3 Herman Lubbe
2 Siphosethu Mnebelele
1 Simphiwe Ngobese

REPLACEMENTS:

16 Jaundré Schoeman
17 Oliver Reid
18 Jean Erasmus
19 Jaco Grobbelaar
20 Matt Romao
21 Ceano Everson
22 Dominic Malgas
23 Stephanus Linde

Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote praised his players for executing the game plan and playing with intensity after South Africa scored a runway victory over Scotland in their final World Rugby U20 Championship Pool A game at the Stadio San Michele in Calvisano on Wednesday afternoon.

The Junior Boks completed the pool stage unbeaten after beating Australia, defending champions England and Scotland with bonus-point victories to finish top of their pool and top of the overall rankings and to secure their place in the semifinals.

The South African Under-20 side delivered another clinical performance in their 73-14 victory over Scotland in the bright Italian summer sunshine, delighting the crowd with their powerful forward play and ability to attack from deep to score some brilliant tries.

3/3 💯🏉

It's a sparkling win from the Junior Boks 🇿🇦🔥#SSRugby | #WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/Dj00Jrvpmz

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 9, 2025

Foote said afterwards he was happy with the score and proud of the team – especially since some of the players were playing the first time in the competition – as they executed the game plan and played with intensity.

“It was a mature effort and our squad is in a good place – I thought our back row were excellent around the breakdown.” Said Foote.

“They are a humble bunch and immediately after the game in the changeroom room they were happy, but there was a real purpose among them to move onto the next job.

“Some of those tries were great and most of them were as a result of the work done at the breakdown and massive effort upfront, which gave the boys such a good platform. And when they got the space in front of them, they really are exciting on attack.

“The support lines of the guys were excellent today. The whole team were just so clinical in how they went about it. Scotland were brave in the second half and hey held us up three times and stayed in the fight.”

“They are a humble bunch and immediately after the game in the changeroom room they were happy, but there was a real purpose amongst them to move onto the next job” - more here: https://t.co/nu5kEmkCAZ 🗣#JuniorBoks #PoweredByUnity #WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/Nblgt4Rxnj

— SA Junior Rugby (@SAJuniorRugby) July 9, 2025

On the question of team selection for the semifinal, Foote said: “It is a difficult problem to have and I keep on going on about the talent we have in the country. It will be a very difficult job and will be hard to leave guys out.”

Thando Biyela, the captain on the day, led by example and said afterwards it was a tough game, despite the convincing scoreline.

“It was a good win but a tough game,” said Biyela.

“I thought we started the game well and had a good opening 20 minutes, which set us up for the rest of the game. But I must give credit to Scotland who tested us in the second half.

“Of course there’s always room for improvement. We want to put in an 80-minute performance and play to our full potential.”

The three teams that will join the Junior Boks in the semifinals will be confirmed once all the pool games have concluded.

The playoffs are scheduled for Monday, 14 July in Viadana.

The Junior Springboks will savour their opening-round victory over Australia World Rugby U20 Championship, but the team will keep their feet firmly on the ground and prepare for the next big challenge, their second pool match against England on Friday.

SA U20 coach Kevin Foote was a happy man after his team scored 11 tries to beat the Australians by 73-17 in their pool A opener in Calvisano on Sunday.

Foote praised the team's conditioning as they outplayed Australia for large parts of the game, which was staged in extremely hot and humid conditions:

“The conditions were tough, but we managed our nutrition and hydration well,” said Foote.

“Our preparation was key, both physically and mentally, and I think our conditioning was outstanding, and for that the team's conditioning staff deserve praise for their hard work.”

Foote was also full of praise for the way in which the SA U20s managed to execute their game plan successfully against the tactically astute Australians.

“We executed our plans perfectly and adapted well under pressure,” he said.

“We balanced our kicking and running game well, and our leadership on the field was calm and composed. The boys made mature decisions under pressure, which was crucial.”

The Junior Bok coach also highlighted the seamless integration of new players, with Jaco Grobbelaar and Jaco Williams both joining the team just before they left for Italy.

'GREAT WIN'

SA U20 captain Riley Norton, who had a good game at lock, was also pleased with their effort.

“It was a great win against a quality Australian side, but we can improve on certain areas," said Norton, adding that there will be no room for complacency, especially with the defending champions their next opponent.

“It is just one game under our belts, and we want to learn and continuously improve as the tournament progresses,” Norton stressed.

“I'm glad for the win and very excited for the forthcoming challenges, which will require thorough preparation and review.”

England opened their campaign by beating Scotland 56-19. Friday’s game between the Junior Boks and the English are scheduled to start at 18h00 in Rovigo.

The Junior Springboks are motivated and determined to finish the U20 Rugby Championship on a positive note when they face New Zealand at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Sunday.

SA U20 head coach Kevin Foote has included five players from the side that faced Australia earlier in the week for their clash against New Zealand.

In the pack, loosehead prop Simphiwe Ngobese, lock and captain Riley Norton, and No 8 Wandile Mlaba are retained from the side which fell just short against Australia.

Vusi Moyo, who gave a strong performance against the Aussies, retains the flyhalf berth, while Cheswill Jooste will run out at right wing as the only backs starting again.

Norton, Mlaba and Jooste will start their third successive games in the competition.

The Junior Boks had a robust review of their match against Australia and have worked hard on those aspects of their game which they have identified for improvement.

HIGHLY MOTIVATED, VERY POSITIVE

According to Foote, the Junior Boks are all highly motivated and very positive for the exciting challenge of facing South Africa’s biggest rugby rival in front of what promises to be a big crowd at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

“Obviously, we were bitterly disappointed with not winning the Australian game, but there were some great learnings for us in preparation for the World Championship,” said Foote.

“I thought that our set piece took a big step forward, and we controlled a lot of the game for a period, but there are aspects for us to work on, in particular our breakdown. We got turned over too often while some of the kicking patterns were out of character, which we look to fix and get some clarity around that.”

Regarding team selection for the New Zealand match, Foote explained: “We’re bringing some players back from the first game while retaining some guys who played in the second game. That will bring some freshness to the match-23, and there is real excitement in the squad for our match on Saturday.

“We believe we have a good and confident team, and all the players have put in a massive effort during the last two and a half weeks. We want to finish strong in front of our home crowd on Mother’s Day, making our mothers proud and celebrating all the moms in the country.”

South Africa and New Zealand have a special rivalry on the rugby field that is full of tradition, and that is something that Foote and his Junior Boks are very aware of.

“Playing against New Zealand is one of the biggest honours in rugby and playing in the green and gold jersey against them is always very special, and something we don’t take for granted,” Foote emphasised.

Sunday’s clash with New Zealand is the last fixture of the U20 Rugby Championship. Kick-off is at 4:10pm and the match will be broadcast live on SuperSport. Argentina and Australia clash at 2pm. Gates open at noon0 and tickets costs R20 at the stadium ticket office as well online at Webtickets.

JUNIOR SPRINGBOK TEAM TO FACE NEW ZEALAND IN GQEBERHA:

15. Gilermo Mentoe

14. Cheswill Jooste

13. Demitre Erasmus

12. Albie Bester

11. Gino Cupido

10. Vusi Moyo

9. Haashim Pead

8. Wandile Mlaba

7. Matt Romao

6. Thando Biyela

5. JJ Theron

4. Riley Norton (captain)

3. Jean Erasmus

2. Siphosethu Mnebelele

1. Simphiwe Ngobese

Replacements:

16. Juandre Schoeman

17. Oliver Reid

18. Herman Lubbe

19. Morne Venter

20. Batho Hlekani

21. Ceano Everson

22. Kyle Smith

23. JC Mars

Junior Springbok head coach Bafana Nhleko praised his players’ dedication and character as they beat Wales to finish their 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship campaign on a positive note in Cape Town on Friday.

With their pack of forwards setting the tone, the Junior Springbok regained some pride when they beat Wales by 47-31 (halftime 19-5) in their seventh-place playoff.

The #JuniorBoks have finished the #WorldRugbyU20s on a high note with victory over Wales - match report: https://t.co/EX8N6htMGy 🤝#JourneyToGreatness pic.twitter.com/R3shbqyej2

— SA Junior Rugby (@SAJuniorRugby) July 19, 2024

The South Africans scored seven tries – six of them by the forwards – with livewire No 8 Sibabalwe Mahashe and team captain Zachary Porthen (prop) scoring a brace of five-pointers each.

There were still a few soft moments, but overall, the Junior Boks can be satisfied with their performance, probably their best of the Championship, as they really made a step up after disappointing results against Argentina and England.

The Junior Boks’ direct approach laid the platform for the winning performance as they led 19-5 at the interval, and although they let in a couple of tries after the break, they continued to apply pressure with some impressive attacking rugby to finish the tournament on a winning note.

Some of the action in the final game for the #JuniorBoks in the #WorldRugbyU20s against Wales 🇿🇦#JourneyToGreatness pic.twitter.com/X1VRLGnMMo

— SA Junior Rugby (@SAJuniorRugby) July 19, 2024

Speaking afterwards, Nhleko praised the character of the team to bounce back after two difficult weeks, which saw them ending on the losing side three times in as many games.

“We are disappointed with our campaign, but I must give credit to the boys, I thought they showed great character after a difficult time,” said Nhleko.

“They did well today, created good opportunities within the plan and our execution was also a lot better despite some errors. The players showed a lot of dedication and worked hard during the past few months together.

FINISH WITH GOOD GAME

“I am happy we could finish with a good game, although not what we wanted but this is a moment in their careers – if not their entire lives – they have a lot to look forward to and I want to wish them well for their future careers.”

A clearly pleased Porthen said he was glad they could deliver a good display in their final outing: “It felt good to give a performance like that and to finish the tournament in a high note. I think the win is a reward for the hard work the group continued to put into our preparations.

“We wanted to show that we were better than our recent results. The results didn’t go our way the past few weeks, but I am nevertheless proud of this group,” added Porthen.

Reaction from the #JuniorBoks: A positive finish to a disappointing campaign - more here: https://t.co/skdyiLRLdJ 🗣#WorldRugbyU20s #JourneyToGreatness pic.twitter.com/ENAwPWHib7

— SA Junior Rugby (@SAJuniorRugby) July 19, 2024

Loose forward Mathis Castro-Ferreira scored three tries as title-holders France crushed New Zealand 55-31 in Cape Town on Sunday to reach the World Rugby Under-20 Championship final.

In the final on 19 July, France will face England who earlier beat Ireland 31-20.

France scored seven tries in a scintillating performance with forwards Joe Quere Karaba and Charly Gambini, fullback Mathis Ferte and replacement back Xan Mousques all touching down.

Captain and flyhalf Hugo Reus missed just one of 10 kicks at goal as he slotted seven conversions and two penalties.

New Zealand had edged France in the pool phase, but rarely looked like repeating that feat after the reigning champions raced to a 14-point lead after eight minutes.

France surged 27 points clear early in the second half before sustained New Zealand pressure narrowed the gap to 17 points with 21 minutes remaining.

But an interception set up Ferte to race clear and his try effectively sealed the fate of the record six-time under-20 champions New Zealand.

Dylan Pledger, King Maxwell, Aki Tuivailala and Andrew Smith all scored for New Zealand, who were also awarded a penalty try, but Rico Simpson managed only two conversions from four attempts.

France storm into the #WorldRugbyU20s final 🔥

A try-fest in Cape Town has ended in defeat for New Zealand#NZLvFRA pic.twitter.com/u4LuKVoBug

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) July 14, 2024

"We have very good coaches and followed their instructions. We were highly motivated after losing narrowly to New Zealand earlier in the tournament," Reus told AFP.

New Zealand skipper and hooker Vernon Bason hailed France, saying "they are a very good team. We made it a little easier for them, though, through poor execution at crucial moments."

The transformation of France in the age-limit tournament has been remarkable as they are chasing a fourth straight title after failing to achieve a top-three finish in the first 10 editions.

Victory at home to England in the 2018 final was followed by triumphs over Australia in Argentina one year later and against Ireland in Cape Town last year.

The physical power of England, which was most obvious at scrum time, proved too much for Ireland who were pointless in the second half.

Sean Kerr missed three shots at goal for England, but contributed 21 points from a try, two conversions and four penalties. Craig Wright and Ollie Allan scored a try each.

Oliver Coffey and Bryn Ward crossed the line for Ireland and Jack Murphy converted both tries and kicked two penalties.

We have our first #WorldRugbyU20s finalists 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

England triumph against Ireland, and remain unbeaten in the Championship 👏#ENGvIRE pic.twitter.com/3FTbNA2Ryp

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) July 14, 2024

The Junior Springboks are hurting after losing to Argentina on Sunday and will give it their all to bounce back in the final match of their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign when they contest seventh place on Friday.

The SA U20s lost 34-24 (halftime 10-24) to Argentina in their fifth-place semifinal on a sunny but cool afternoon in Cape Town on Sunday and gave a much better account of themselves than in the pool fixture 10 days ago, when the Pumitas won comfortably.

A better effort than 10 days ago, but not enough for the #JuniorBoks - match report: https://t.co/rpTmGOhcQg 🏉 #WorldRugbyU20s #JourneyToGreatness pic.twitter.com/soezoFX4c3

— SA Junior Rugby (@SAJuniorRugby) July 14, 2024

The Junior Boks showed great showed greater enterprise on attack, with the drier conditions obviously helping their cause, but this was nullified by Argentina’s stronger performance in the lineouts.

Argentina again started better and took a 14-point lead into the break, but the Junior Boks made a big step up in the second half, with especially Jurenzo Julius testing the defence with his strong running in midfield.

Argentina, though, kept the upper hand to the game to another positive result for them.

Afterwards, Junior Bok coach Bafana Nhleko said his side’s tendency to drop the intensity at important moments of the match spoiled several good opportunities.

“There were lots of pressure release today,” said Nhleko.

“We would play in moments and get good momentum, then we release the pressure with an error or poor decision making and then we would find ourselves on the backfoot again.

“We started well in the lineouts, and when they started to get tired, we fell off with our detail to keep the pressure on them.

“Those are the opportunities that we lost, and those moments really hurt us. Today, the most disappointing thing was around the defence, which is usually our strong point.”

Nhleko summed up the mood in the camp: “Obviously we’re down in terms of how we feel because the result wasn’t what we had hoped for. The reality is that we must get up and go again because we have a game again on Friday.”

In terms of finishing the tournament, against either Wales or Australia, Nhleko said: “We know people are hurting, and the team hurt as much. The performance was good in parts but not good enough for the full 80 minutes, but we have one more to go, and we must bounce back and hopefully finish on a better note. Now we must play for some pride.”

The Junior Springboks do not want to be defined by their defeats to England and Argentina in the pool phase of the World Rugby U20 Championship, and that's why they will continue to give it their all in their remaining two matches, according to head coach Bafana Nhleko.

The SA U20's delivered a much-improved performance in their final pool match, but came up short against England, going down by 17-12 in cold, wet and windy conditions in Cape Town at the Athlone Stadium on Tuesday night.

South Africa had to win with a try-scoring bonus-point and a points' difference of at least 13 to progress to the semifinals. Although they gave it their all, England scored the winning try five minutes after the hooter, consigning the Junior Boks to a fifth-place playoff against Argentina at 14h00 on Sunday in Cape Town.

England will take on Ireland (16h30), while New Zealand are up against France (19h00) in the semifinals, also on Sunday at the DHL Stadium.

Speaking to media afterwards, Nhleko said they were hurting from the outcome of a match they had to win to be in contention for a place in the last four. Although the result was painful, the Junior Bok coach commended his team for the way they responded from their previous performance against Argentina, and for taking the game to the English side.

“It hurts and we are feeling it, especially conceding after the hooter, but I thought the effort was great,” said Nhleko.

“We had our backs against the wall coming into this game and the boys got stuck in.

“Both teams showed a willingness to play, and I thought we put ourselves in good positions, however, we didn't get the reward and some of that was perhaps, us being a bit too desperate at times. Those are the small margins that go for or against you.”

Furthermore, the Junior Boks coped well with the difficult conditions. They scrummed well and created opportunities, but handling errors and resolute English defence meant they could not add to their two tries, with England clinching the game with the winning try long after the sound of the final hooter.

Nhleko said: “We are not making excuses; the desire to win was there, and (it was) not because of a lack of trying.”

The SA U20's will now reset as they prepare for their final two matches, starting with a tricky encounter against Argentina in Cape Town on Sunday.

“Although we didn't succeed in our mission, we still have two matches remaining and those games will give us the opportunity to end as high as we can,” said Nhleko.

“We will continue giving guys an opportunity as part of the pathway process and their long-term development.”

The Junior Boks will complete their recovery protocols on Wednesday and resume on-field training on Thursday.

Junior Springbok coach Bafana Nhleko has tweaked the starting fifteen for Thursday’s World Rugby U20 Championship encounter with Argentina in Stellenbosch by making five changes to the run-on side that started in the win over Fiji.

Thursday’s Pool C clash at the Danie Craven Stadium will kick off at 7pm and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

The inclusion of Bruce Sherwood (fullback) and Phillip-Albert van Niekerk (inside centre) are the changes in the backline, in place of Michail Damon, who will sit out this clash, and Josh Boulle, who has been included on the bench.

Among the forwards, Thabang Mphafi moves from No 7 flanker to the other side of the scrum to play in the No 6 jersey where he replaces Sibabalwe Mahashe, who in turn moves to the replacement bench.

Elsewhere in the starting pack, Jaco Grobbelaar is set to make his debut at lock in place of Bathobele Hlekani, who will start at flanker. Meanwhile, Nhleko has opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the bench in anticipation of a huge battle up front with the powerful Argentine pack.

“When we faced them two months ago in Australia, as well as during a strong first-half showing against England on Saturday (in Athlone), Argentina displayed their impressive forward power, so we have to be prepared to deal with that,” said Nhleko.

Nhleko explained the variations to the match 23: “While we wanted to keep the spine of the team intact, we must manage the load of the players sensibly because this is a demanding tournament due to the short turnaround time between matches and being adaptable in different circumstances.

“I am pleased for Jaco who missed the Australian tour with injury and his selection, coupled with the other tweaks, are part of the process to freshen up the team and also adapting to how we want to play against different opposition.

“We have a hardworking squad who are all contributing positively even when not playing. They are eager to continue with their learning, growth, and togetherness as a group.”

Junior Springbok team to face Argentina in Stellenbosch:

15 Bruce Sherwood

14 Joel Leotlela

13 Jurenzo Julius

12 Phillip-Albert van Niekerk

11 Litelihle Bester

10 Liam Koen

9 Asad Moos

8 Tiaan Jacobs

7 Bathobele Hlekani

6 Thabang Mphafi

5 JF van Heerden

4 Jaco Grobbelaar

3 Zachary Porthen (captain)

2 Luca Bakkes

1 Ruan Swart

Replacements

16 Ethan Bester

17 Liyema Ntshanga

18 Casper Badenhorst

19 Thomas Dyer

20 Keanu Coetsee

21 Sibabalwe Mahashe

22 Tylor Sefoor

23 Joshua Boulle

France matched a record and settled a score as they crushed Ireland 50-14 on Friday to win the World Rugby under-20 Championship at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.

The French became only the second team after New Zealand to win the tournament three consecutive times, and they avenged a Six Nations under-20 Championship loss in Ireland this year.

Losing in Cork cost France the European title, but they are now world champions after outscoring brave but outclassed Ireland by seven tries to two.

???????????????? ???????????? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????? ???????????????????????? ?????????????????? ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/uMWSmHnRMc

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 14, 2023

"It was an incredible performance and it will take some time to realise that we are world champions again," France captain and flanker Lenni Nouchi told AFP.

Ireland skipper and hooker Gus McCarthy admitted that his side "struggled in the line-outs, but I am proud of the boys. All credit to a great French team."

Ireland led twice in the opening half before France took a 17-14 halftime advantage through a try from prop Lino Julien.

The Irish suffered what proved a huge blow just before the break when prop Paddy McCarthy was yellow-carded.

France took advantage of the numerical advantage to score early second-half tries from hooker Pierre Jouvin and centre Nicolas Depoortere with fly-half Hugo Reus converting both.

The defending champions had a 31-14 lead and there was no way back for Ireland, who developed several multi-phase attacks only for France to execute turnovers.

France were masters at turning defence into attack and as Ireland faded in the closing stages, the champions scored three more tries.

Fullback Mathis Ferte (two), Julien, Jouvin, Depoortere, Nouchi and winger Leo Drouet scored tries for France and Reus kicked six conversions and a penalty from nine shots at goal.

Scrumhalf Fintan Gunne and centre John Devine were the try scorers for Ireland and flyhalf Sam Prendergast converted both.

?? CHAMPIONS

Congratulations to France for winning the 2023 #WorldRugbyU20s in South Africa. pic.twitter.com/5XoYPNz4Zb

— Junior Springboks (@JuniorBoks) July 14, 2023

Junior Springbok head coach Bafana Nhleko praised his South African U20 squad's effort on Friday when they outplayed England to win the bronze final of the 2023 World Rugby U20 Championships, with France taking the title for a third successive time by beating Ireland in the final.

The 22-15 win at Athlone Stadium earned them a place on the podium and gave the squad some reward for their efforts before and during the tournament.

“Obviously this is not the final we wanted to play, we wanted to win the tournament, but the response from Paul (de Villiers, the captain), the squad and management team was brilliant,” said Nhleko.

“We were very disappointed after the Ireland match, but credit to the players for the way they fronted up and fought today. The win was good reward for the fighting spirit they demonstrated throughout the tournament.

“For the players to be able to touch the medal and have it hanging around their necks will give them real belief that the hard work was not for nothing.”

Nhleko: "The win was good reward for the fighting spirit they demonstrated throughout the tournament" - more here: https://t.co/hNN15JXiOI ??#JourneyToGreatness #JuniorBoks #WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/OWes5atpZb

— Junior Springboks (@JuniorBoks) July 14, 2023

Nhleko said the defensive effort against England was proof of the players’ determination and character to finish the tournament on a high.

“This was an important game for us as we wanted to leave a mark for this particular group,” said Nhleko.

“The big thing we all saw today was the character of this group and that is a very pleasing aspect for us to witness. They grew stronger after every match we played and we left the tournament with our heads held high.”

Nhleko said they will have time to review and reflect on the campaign, which he saw as a success: “There is more than one aspect to this tournament. We also want to develop this group as part of the bigger pathway for the Springboks and I am confident that we made good progress in that regard.

“The programme is holistic in that it covers rugby, analysis, individual work-ons, strength and conditioning, academics, and off-field support. The players showed improvement in every aspect, and I would like to commend the management team under the guidance of Barry McDonald and Louis Koen for their stellar work.”

Nhleko thanked the supporters who came out to watch the team play in Stellenbosch, Paarl and Athlone: “The energy the team got from the crowd everywhere was outstanding and we want to thank everyone who showed their support to the team. It was something the team will remember fondly.”

Jean Smith finished the tournament as the leading points' scorer for the Junior Boks, with 36 points (nine conversions and six penalty goals) and Juann Else and Corné Beets as top try-scorers with three apiece.

Finishing on a high in Cape Town ??#JuniorBoks #WorldRugbyU20s #JourneyToGreatness pic.twitter.com/kEsAdoNgjH

— Junior Springboks (@JuniorBoks) July 14, 2023

© SA Rugby

The Junior Springboks delivered a masterful defensive display to beat England by 22-15 (half-time 22-15) and finish their campaign on a high by claiming the bronze medal at the World Rugby U20 Championship on a mild and windless Friday evening at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.

It doesn't happen a lot that no points are scored in the second half of a game, but thanks to the SA U20s massive character and resilience, which led to a superb defensive effort, that is exactly what happened.

England threw everything they had into the contest but they were repelled by a green defensive wave time after time after time. Even when the Junior Boks lost a few players to injury, the replacements kept on hammering away.

The bronze medal of the World Rugby U20 Championship is staying in South Africa ??

The Junior Springboks run in three tries as they defeat England 22-15 ? pic.twitter.com/tMtoR2o3y6

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 14, 2023

The Junior Boks enjoyed their best start of the tournament and scored two converted tries in the first 20 minutes, by Hennie Sieberhagen (flanker) and Corne Beets (No 8).

Unlike against Ireland in their semifinal on Tuesday, the SA U20s finished their scoring opportunities. If a few refereeing calls went their way and it wasn't for one or two small mistakes, their half-time lead could have been bigger.

Sieberhagen, who made his SA U20 debut after joining the squad as a replacement in the week, went over in the 11th minute after a great run by Quewin Nortje (wing), while Beets crashed through the England defence six minutes later after a period of sustained pressure in their opponents' 22.

England fought back in the second quarter, with Craig Wright (hooker) finishing a counter-attacking move that started in their own 22, but generally the Junior Boks defended very well.

From one of these strong defensive displays, the South Africans turned over the ball, Katlego Letebele kicked a superb 50-22 and from a maul penalty conceded by the English, Juan Else (hooker) drove over to make it 22-8.

England No 8 Zach Carr went over from a lineout maul after the hooter had sounded at the end of the first half and the successful conversion meant the Junior Boks went into the sheds leading by 22-15.

The scorers weren't bothered again - Smith missed an attempted penalty midway through the second half - but the statisticians and analysts would have been very busy counting the myriad of South African tackles.

SCORERS

Junior Springboks 22 (22) - Tries: Hennie Sieberhagen, Corne Beets, Juann Else. Conversions: Jean Smith (2). Penalty goal: Smith.

England U20 15 (15) - Tries: Craig Wright, Zach Carr. Conversion: Connor Slevin. Penalty goal: Connor Slevin.

© SA Rugby

 

The Junior Boks are excited and keen to deliver a performance that will leave a legacy for the 2023 team when they face England at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town in the World Rugby U20 Championship third-place playoff on Friday.

For SA U20 captain Paul de Villiers, the match is not only about winning the bronze medal but also for his troops to deliver a performance they can all reflect on in years to come.

“We really want to beat England and finish on a high note – that will leave some sort of legacy for us as a team,” said De Villiers after he took the team through their last training session and traditional captain’s practice.

“We are still going out there to represent our country and people are still paying money to come and see us play, so we cannot disappoint them. We had our ups and downs in the tournament, but if we deliver a good performance on Friday, that is what people will remember. So yes, we are going into this game with the win on our minds.

“There are some mixed emotions now, this being the last time we have trained together and me in charge of the so-called captain's run, but emotions are not going to take us anywhere tomorrow. We will have to be focussed on what England will bring to us and how we are going to cope with that.”

England have won the most tackle turnovers (18) – more than twice as many as South Africa (7) – and they the only team to have made in excess of 500 passes (520), but they have also conceded 11.5 penalties on average per match and have had four players sent to the sin-bin.

De Villiers was on the field in June 2022 when South Africa defeated England 30-22 in the Six Nations U20 Summer Series in Italy, but tournament history is not in the home side’s favour as England won the last five encounters before that.

No team has played in more third-place playoffs than South Africa (nine) and this is the sixth tournament in a row that they have contested the bronze final. They have won eight and lost once only in those playoffs, with their only defeat at this stage of the tournament coming against Argentina (49-19) in England in 2016.

'ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS'

De Villiers, in his ninth and last appearance for the Junior Boks, said stats will not deter them in their quest to win the match. South Africa’s tackle success rate is the second best in the tournament at 88.7 per cent and they have the fastest average ruck speed in attack (2.90 seconds), but the Junior Bok captain also points to effort.

“At the beginning of the tournament there was room for speculation about the potential of the group and what we potentially could achieve,” he said.

“There is no room for that anymore, time for talking is done and we have one more opportunity to speak through our actions and effort on the field. That is all that really matters.

“The team have shown their fight so far and we did play some really good rugby at times. Sadly also, we had poor moments as well and tomorrow will be about delivering a performance that will be worthy for the Junior Springboks and what it represents. For that we must pitch up tomorrow and stay in the game until the very last minute.”

Head-to-Head:

Played 11, England won 8, South Africa 3

Average score: England 27-23

England have won the last five U20 Championship encounters, but South Africa came out on top the last time they met, 30-22 at the U20 Summer Series in Verona, Italy, in June 2022.

Match information: Junior Springboks v England U20

Date: Friday, 14 July 2023

Venue: Athlone Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 16h30

Referee: Reuben Keane (Australia)

Assistant Referees: Takehito Namekawa (Japan), Griffin Colby (South Africa)

TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

TV: SuperSport 211

Damian Markus will earn a first start for the Junior Springboks against England on Friday, while SA Under-20 head coach Bafana Nhleko was also forced to make a few changes due to injuries for their World Rugby U20 Championship third-place playoff at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.

Markus played off the bench in all four matches of the tournament thus far, and on Friday will run out at inside centre, while Hakeem Kunene (fullback, shoulder), JF van Heerden (lock, shoulder) and Ghudian van Reenen (flanker, concussion) have been ruled out of the match.

Regan Izaks will start at fullback, as he did against Italy in Paarl, while Hennie Sieberhagen has been drafted into the squad to replace Van Reenen and will make his debut in the No 7 jersey. The former Paarl Gimnasium pupil was in the wider squad, but just missed out on final selection and will now get a chance to show his mettle.

Tiaan Wessels, who made his debut against Italy, will earn a second cap at lock in place of Van Heerden, while Quewin Nortje (wing) and Neil le Roux (scrumhalf) will also start – having last done that against Italy – with Michael Annies and Imad Khan playing off the bench this time.

Nhleko also changed his props. Mawande Mdanda and Phatu Ganyane will pack down together, having last done so in the tournament opener against Georgia. On the bench, flanker Gcinokuhle Mdletshe will also see some action having last played against Italy.

“We said at the start of the tournament that we wanted to give everyone a taste of test match rugby,” said Nhleko.

“We did that, but the injuries and the result against Ireland have now given us another opportunity to expand on that, which means we will have some fresh bodies in the squad to face England. We lost Hakeem, JF and Ghudian due to injury, while Neil is back after missing two games due to HIA protocols.

“We are sad to lose those three players, but at the same time happy for someone like Hennie. He has trained with us with great enthusiasm even after being told that he did not make the squad and it is great for him to have that attitude rewarded.

“We still have a lot to play for. We looked at the way England play and planned accordingly; we believe we have named a squad that will suit us in what we want to achieve.”

Nhleko said they still have a job to do in the tournament: “With the short turnaround, we had to put the Ireland result behind us. We have another opportunity to represent the country and the reality is for some of these guys, it will most likely be their last time, so we must make sure we give a good account of ourselves. This will be the last opportunity for this group to show their value and skill.”

Nhleko is hoping for a more consistent 80 minutes from the squad: “We have had good periods of play in this tournament but not enough to put a commanding performance. I have asked every player to make sure he uses this opportunity to leave a positive mark behind his name. We are going to need that against England.”

Junior Springbok team to face England in Cape Town:

15. Regan Izaks – 3 caps, 0 points

14. Jurenzo Julius – 4 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

13. Katlego Letebele (vice-captain) – 6 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

12. Damian Markus – 4 caps, 5 points (1 try)

11. Quewin Nortje – 1 cap, 0 points

10. Jean Smith – 3 caps, 29 points (7 conversions, 5 penalty goals)

9. Neil le Roux – 5 caps, 0 points

8. Corné Beets – 3 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

7. Hennie Sieberhagen – uncapped

6. Paul de Villiers (captain) – 8 caps, 0 points

5. Tiaan Wessels – 1 cap, 0 points

4. Coetzee le Roux – 3 caps, 5 points (1 try)

3. Mawande Mdanda – 2 caps, 0 points

2. Juann Else – 5 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

1. Phatu Ganyane – 4 caps, 0 points

Replacements:

16. SJ Kotze – 4 caps, 0 points

17. Corné Lavagna – 6 caps, 0 points

18. Zachary Porthen – 4 caps, 0 points

19. Abulele Ndabambi – 3 caps, 0 points

20. Gcinokuhle Mdletshe – 6 caps, 0 points

21. Imad Khan – 7 caps, 16 points (2 tries, 3 conversions)

22. Litelihle Bester – 1 cap, 0 points

23. Michael Annies – 4 caps, 0 points

The fact that they can still earn a podium position at the 2023 World Rugby U20 Championship by beating England in the bronze final on Friday will be a huge motivating factor for the Junior Springboks in the next couple of days as they prepare with the knowledge that some silverware can justify the hard work and effort of the squad.

That is the view of SA Under-20 coach, Bafana Nhleko, following a disappointing 31-12 defeat to Ireland in the semifinals of the competition on Sunday. The Junior Boks had a strong start in the Athlone Stadium but were outplayed by the U20 Six Nations champions in the second half.

“It was a disappointing result for us, especially given the way we started the first half,” said Nhleko.

“We finished strong in our last game against Argentina and then continued that in the first half against Ireland, so our second half dip was not what we expected. We will have to go and have a look at what went wrong.

“The review will show us where we came up short, but because of the nature of the tournament, we will need to move on from this defeat – the focus will now shift to England and the bronze final. We still have a medal to win.”

The South Africans have finished third more than any other team in the history of the competition and for Nhleko the only aim for Friday is to win.

“We seem to battle to get past the semifinals over the years, but it is not over yet,” he said. “We are still in the competition with something to gain and that is where we are heading now with our preparation.”

Nhleko also feels the Junior Boks have another opportunity to showcase their worth as a group: “The group have shown good growth over the last couple of months and have one more opportunity to lay down a marker, to show what they are capable of and to leave a memory to those who follow and support the game.

“This group can take confidence from the fact that they can compete on a certain level, and they have one more opportunity to show that.”

Nhleko said it is scant reward that they are the only Southern Hemisphere team in the final four.

“The dominance of the northern hemisphere teams is obvious and, in that regard, I suppose we do carry the hopes of the southern hemisphere to get onto the podium,” he said. “I am sure New Zealand and Australia would have loved to be in our position on the last day of the tournament.”

The team for England will be announced on Wednesday.

The Junior Springboks secured their place in the semifinals of the World Rugby U20 Championship with a superb second-half performance by grinding out a 24-16 victory (half-time 7-16) over Argentina on a cold and windy night at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.

South Africa, who topped Pool C, will face Pool B winners Ireland in the semifinal on Sunday, while the other top-four playoff will be between England, who finished second in Pool B, and Pool A winners France.

Playing with intensity and tiring out the Argentineans, who were kept scoreless after the break, the Junior Boks did what was needed and if it wasn’t for a couple of close scoring opportunities in the second half, the margin could have been wider.

But the South Africans won’t complain about the score, as all they needed was victory, although they made life difficult for themselves at times.

The Junior Boks beat Argentina 24-16 to set up a meeting with Ireland in the #WorldRugbyU20s semi-finals ?? pic.twitter.com/uis5cF4gyF

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 4, 2023

If playing against the stiff breeze in the first half wasn't tough enough, the South Africans also played into their opponents’ hands with bad discipline and a basically non-existent set piece.

Conceding penalties at regular intervals - three of which were turned into points by Argentinean flyhalf Valentino Dicapua while there was also a disallowed maul try - meant the South Americans were on the front foot for most of the first half.

The hosts were made to defend for large periods of the first half, which they did with gusto, although there were a few slipped tackles.

The Junior Boks had a handful attacking opportunities which they failed to convert, but in the 27th minute they finally got some reward for showing patience in Los Pumitas' 22 when Juann Else (hooker) went over for the first try of the match. Flyhalf Jean Smith converted to make it 9-7.

But when JF van Heerden (lock) was sent to the sin bin four minutes later for a maul infringement, Argentina struck when burly prop Renzo Zanella crashed over for a try, with Dicapua's conversion restoring their nine-point lead.

Smith made it 16-10 early in the second half after which the game turned into a real arm-wrestle as the Argentineans tried to play, and the Junior Boks tackled and tackled, interspersed by some good attacking plays by the fleet-footed backs, while the pack also considerably upped their game.

Second half starts with a Jean Smith penalty.
10-16 pic.twitter.com/I9Fxbgk0Dq

— Junior Springboks (@JuniorBoks) July 4, 2023

The home team had a few close calls, once when fullback Hakeen Kunene was over but the TMO spotted a foot in touch by Jurenzo Julius (wing) during a strong run, and again later when they were held up over the tryline.

That didn't deter them however, and with 11 minutes remaining, the irrepressible Corne Beets (No 8) crashed over for a try, converted by Smith, that gave the Junior Boks the lead for the first time in the game.

Six minutes later Beets, who was named the Mastercard Player of the Match, sealed the deal with his second try, also converted by Smith, which gave the Junior Boks an eight-point lead.

Corne Beets scores the double!
The Game Changer.
24-16 pic.twitter.com/zZGF3PsMlF

— Junior Springboks (@JuniorBoks) July 4, 2023

Scorers:

Junior Springboks 24 (7) – Tries: Juann Else, Corné Beets (2). Conversions: Jean Smith (3). Penalty goal: Smith.

Argentina U20 16 (16) – Try: Renzo Zanella. Conversion: Valentino Dicapua. Penalty goals: Dicapua (3).

© SA Rugby

The Junior Springboks were shocked by Italy Under-20 by 34-26 (halftime 17-12) as the visitors registered a bonus-point victory in their World Rugby U20 Championship clash at Paarl Gymnasium on Thursday.

The Junior Boks can take heart from the fact that they fought back from a 17-point deficit – and secured a four-try bonus point in the process, and while they didn’t do enough to win the game, they remained in contention for the semifinals.

The wet and heavy underfoot conditions at the Paarl Gymnasium sport fields proved a challenge for both sets of players. The Junior Boks were dealt a couple of early setbacks, with halfbacks Neil le Roux and Sam Francis forced to leave the field with serious injuries before halftime.

Prop Mawande Mdanda received a yellow card for a cynical offence in the 10th minute, and Italy were awarded a penalty try. The Italians made their one-man advantage count, adding a further try through hooker Nicholas Gasperini, as well as a conversion and a penalty goal through Simone Brisighella.

The hosts rallied as halftime approached. The decision to turn down a shot at goal was vindicated when centre Katlego Letebele crashed over the tryline in the 31st minute.

Another powerful maul set the platform for South Africa’s second try. Replacement scrumhalf Imad Khan found Jurenzo Julius with a pinpoint cross kick, and the winger did well to field the ball in the driving rain. Khan’s conversion reduced the deficit to five points.

Italy struck first in the second stanza to regain control of the contest. Replacement prop Marcos Francesco Gallorini powered through the defence, and Brisighella’s conversion took the Azzurri 12 points clear. Moments later, another surge by Gallorini resulted in Italy’s fourth try.

Just as it appeared as if the game might slip away from the hosts, centre Damian Markus ran the length of the field to score a morale-boosting try. A boisterous local crowd rose as one to celebrate the incredible effort.

The crowd was on its feet again in the 61st minute, after hooker Juann Else broke through the Italian defence to score his side’s fourth try. Khan’s conversion reduced the deficit to five points.

Italy had the final say, though, with replacement Giovanni Sante kicking a late penalty goal to secure the result for his side.

The Junior Boks will face Argentina in their final pool fixture at Athlone Stadium on 4 July.

SCORERS:

Junior Boks 26 (12) - Tries: Katlego Letebele, Jurenzo Julius, Damian Markus, Juann Else. Conversions: Imad Khan (3).

Italy U20 34 (17) - Tries: Penalty try, Nicholas Gasperini, Marcos Francesco Gallorini (2). Conversions: Simone Brisighella (3). Penalty goals: Brisighella, Giovanni Sante. - SA Rugby