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Eyewitness News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Junior Boks take on New Zealand in World Rugby U20 Championship final on Saturday
The much-anticipated showdown revives memories of the 2012 final, when the Junior Springboks edged the Baby Blacks to lift their first and only U20 title on home soil. On Monday, 14 July, fans at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella witnessed two thrilling semi-finals. The action began with a rematch of the 2024 encounter between France and New Zealand, a high-scoring affair previously won 55-31 by Les Bleuets in South Africa. This time, however, the Junior All Blacks had the last word, securing their place in the final and ending France's hopes of a three-peat. South Africa, meanwhile, made a blistering start in their semi-final against Argentina. Centre Albie Bester opened the scoring in the ninth minute, and moments later, scrum-half Hassiem Pead finished a sweeping move straight from the restart. ALSO READ: Springboks tactics: 'The law is clear. You may NOT deliberately infringe' - Craig Ray, rugby analyst With a 28-3 lead inside 25 minutes, the Junior Boks looked set to cruise, but Argentina hit back just before halftime through number eight Agustín Garcia Campos Fiszman. Timoteo Silva's second-half try narrowed the gap to 11 points, but South Africa responded with composure. Vusi Moyo added two penalties before Bester raced in for his second try, securing a 48-24 win and their first final appearance in over a decade. Earlier in the day, Wales looked to repeat their U20 Six Nations triumph over England and led 13-12 at the break thanks to Sion Davies' try. However, England stormed back with three tries in an eight-minute burst around the hour mark to claim a dominant 51-13 victory, securing a top-six finish in the 2025 Championship. Watch the Junior Boks take on New Zealand live on SuperSport, Saturday, 19 July at 8.30 pm.
The Herald
15-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Junior Boks book first U-20 world champs final spot since 2014
The Junior Springboks booked their spot in the final of the World Rugby U20 Championship, having to work hard for their 48-24 semifinal victory (half time 28-10) over Argentina on a hot and humid Stadio Luigi Zaffanella in Viadana in Italy on Monday night. Six tries to three tells a story of its own, but it was far from a perfect performance and the South African U-20s will realise they have a lot of hard work ahead before Saturday's decider, with their discipline one of the areas that will need attention. It's the Junior Boks' first final in the competition since 2014, and while they showed true grit on defence against a gutsy Argentina, the two yellow cards and 16 penalties conceded will need attention as they prepare to face New Zealand in Rovigo on Saturday evening. The Baby Blacks beat France in their semifinal. The semifinal started like two boxers feeling each other out, trading jabs but not inflicting much damage, until the Junior Boks exploded into life with two heavy body blows in two minutes. From a scrum free-kick close the Pumitas' try line, scrumhalf Haashim Pead took a quick tap, attacked the space and put centre Albie Bester away for the first try of the match in the ninth minute, with flyhalf Vusi Moyo adding the extras. From the restart, Pead finished after barnstorming flanker Batho Hlekani burst through the Argentinian defence and fed No 8 Wandile Mlaba, who made good ground before he put the quicksilver scrumhalf away for his sixth try of the tournament. Moyo's conversion made it 14-0 and in a blink, the Junior Boks had taken control. Argentina clawed three points back with a 14th minute penalty goal, but shortly thereafter wing Jaco Williams scored a fortuitous try after chasing a clever chip by Moyo into space, with the bounce beating the Pumitas cover into the hands of the South African speedster. Moyo converted and at 21-3, the Junior Boks were firmly in control. Six minutes later it was 28-3 as lock JJ Theron drove over from short range after a strong line-out drive by the South Africans. But Argentina clawed their way back into the game, as the South Africans started to make mistakes and conceding penalties that saw the momentum swing. When prop Simphiwe Ngobese was yellow-carded for a professional foul, the Pumitas took their chance and scored their first try, by Agustín Garcia Campos from a line-out drive, to make it 28-10 at the break. Argentina started the second half on the front foot and as Junior Bok coach Kevin Foote brought on a five-forward Bomb Squad, the Pumitas scored their second try, by wing Timoteo Silva to make it an 11-point game with half an hour to go. The Junior Bok replacements started to come into the game as two Moyo penalty goals followed by Bester's second try, from a midfield turnover after a good run by his midfield partner Demitre Erasmus, increased South Africa's lead to 41-17 on the hour mark. Forced to defend for most of the final 20 minutes, the Junior Boks did very well to keep waves of Argentinian attacks at bay, and though the Pumitas' replacement back Ramon Fernandez Miranda scored in the 73rd minute, it wasn't enough. The South Africans showed glimpses of what they can do though as they closed the game out with a superb try by wing Cheswill Jooste, which started on their own try line, to ensure their title aspirations remain alive with one game to go in Italy. Scorers Junior Springboks 48 (28) — Tries: Albie Bester (2), Haashim Pead, Jaco Williams, JJ Theron, Cheswill Jooste. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (5), Dominic Malgas. Penalty goals: Moyo (2). Argentina 24 (10) — Tries: Agustín Garcia Campos, Timoteo Silva, Ramon Fernandez Miranda. Conversions: Rafael Benedit (2), Pascal Senillosa. Penalty goal: Benedit. SA Rugby media
The South African
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
New Zealand break Junior Springboks' hearts to defend U20 title
New Zealand held on to beat the Junior Springboks 48-45 in front of 14 835 spectators at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Sunday to retain the U20 Rugby Championship in dramatic fashion. Having to play with 13 players in the final minutes, the NZ team just managed to hold on as they overturned a fast Junior Springbok start to the match, with the home side scoring 19 unanswered points in the opening 15 minutes and leading 26-24 at the break. Fifteen tries – which included a penalty try – resulted in a high scoring match that was dominated by the home side in the first 20 minutes, before the defending champions took control, only to have their effort almost derailed with ill-discipline in the final 10 minutes. The South Africans will look back at this match as another one of missed opportunities and some weak defence in their outside channels being exploited by their opponents. The Junior Boks played with a strong wind in the first half and enjoyed a great start. The Kiwis tries to run the deep kick off back to their opponents, but were forced into touch 20m out. The SA U20s mauled well from the resulting lineout and then kept excellent exposure. Their attacks around the rucks sucked in defenders and after four minutes centre Albie Bester scored in the corner for the first points of the game. The conversion was wide, but the home side had their tails up early. Their second try, three minutes later, was even more impressive. A strong burst by Bester started some good momentum and a long-range attack from the Junior Boks. It was loosehead prop Simphiwe Ngobese who finally crashed over near the posts after some brilliant support play and good option taking by various ball carriers. Vusi Moyo converted for a 12-0 lead. Ten minutes into the game, the NZ side already were forced to make 37 tackles. Some ill-discipline around the breakdown seemed inevitable and twice New Zealand were pinged for such offences. The Junior Boks went for the driving maul twice and after the first one was dragged down illegally, the second was a thing of beauty with hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele at the back of the pack scoring their third try. Moyo's conversion was good and the lead 19-0 with 15 minutes of the match played. Credit to New Zealand though who recovered well to score a well-taken try of their own from the next restart. They forced the Junior Boks into conceding some penalties and also twice mauled for the line, but the South Africans kept them out. Keeping the ball alive through a number of phases, their patience was rewarded with a try by Harlyn Saunoa. The left wing's acrobatic finish despite two SA defenders trying to get him away from the corner flag had the spectators in black on their feet. The conversion was wide and the SA lead of 19-5 still well-deserved. Saunoa scored his second 26 minutes in, but he needed to fancy footwork for this one. In fact, some ball watching and a failed intercept effort by the Junior Bok outside backs left the winger will acres of real estate and he almost walked over for his try. The conversion by flyhalf Will Cole was good and suddenly the lead was only seven points. Stung by the two conceded tries, the Junior Boks struck back, again with a spectacular team try. Good interplay between backs and forwards and a great timed pass gave Gino Cupido just enough space to work his way to the line for a fourth South African try. Moyo kicked the conversion and the lead was back to 14 points (26-12) after 30 minutes. New Zealand kept on coming though and found some angles around the SA ruck defence less threatening, winning metres per carry at a time. The Junior Boks conceded a penalty trying to stem the flow and NZ kicked for the corner from where Manumaua Letiu was driven over by his pack. The NZ captain's try cut the lead to 26-17 with five minutes to go before the break. Saunoa got his third just before the break and again needed some stepping to score, but the Junior Boks will only have themselves to blame for this try. Attacking strongly a long looping pass was intercepted by New Zealand and although South Africa's scrambling defence kept their opponents at bay, it was just a matter of time before the original mistake would be punished. The conversion was good and suddenly, at the break, the lead was cut to only two points. An early New Zealand try in the second half gave them the lead for the first time. Maloni Kunawave reaped the rewards this time when he ran onto a good kick by centre Jack Wiseman. The conversion was good and suddenly the Junior Boks were trailing by four points. The Kiwis' sixth try came from a Wiseman intervention again, going around his opponent and that momentum resulted in a try to front-ranker Sika Pole. The kick was good and the score jumped to 38-26. Some luck came the home side's way after the restart though as Wandile Mlaba intercepted a loose pass near their own line, giving his team a lifeline, as they came back to a seven-point deficit (38-31). That did not last long though. Some around the back play by the NZ backs again shredded the rush defence by their opponents and Stanley Solomon finished a smooth move in the corner. That pushed the lead up 43-31 with 25 minutes to play. The Junior Boks came back into the game with a second Mlaba try. Some good attacking play of a lineout handed the NZ defence lots of homework and when play was switched to the blindside, the SA No 8 proved too powerful for the defenders in black. Moyo converted and 55 minutes in, it was a five-point game again. Kunawave's second try extended New Zealand's lead again, with the wing emulating Saunoa in the acrobatics stakes to dot down in the corner. Again, the SA defence would look at the replay with dismay as again they rushed a stack attack. The conversion was wide but at 48-38, SA needed to score next to remain in the contest. That job became a little bit easier when NZ flanker Caleb Woodley was red-carded 11 minutes from time after a head clash with Cheswill Jooste, but the home side could not take immediate advantage of the extra player. They did so five minutes from time when Kyle Smith dummied his way past a couple of defenders, but the try was disallowed for obstruction. South Africa had a penalty advantage though and they kicked to the corner. Their maul was pulled down by New Zealand and the referee had no option but to award SA a penalty try and send Randall Baker to the bin. New Zealand, now with 13 players, were defending a three-point lead with three minutes to play which they managed to do to secure a memorable win and another title. Earlier, Australia beat Argentina 40-36 to finish second in the championship. The Junior Springboks ended third, with Argentina winless in fourth. Junior Springboks Tries: Albie Bester, Simphiwe Ngobese, Siphosethu Mnebelele, Gino Cupido, Wandile Mlaba (2), Penalty try Conversions: Vusi Moyo (4) New Zealand Tries: Harlyn Saunoa (3), Manumaua Letiu, Maloni Kunawave (2), Sika Pole, Stanley Solomon Conversions: Will Cole (4) Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
