08-05-2025
Baby Boks' Wallaby Rugby Champs stumble leaves them with massive mountain to climb
South Africa 29-24 humbling at the hands of Australia in their Under-20 Rugby Championship wasn't just their second consecutive defeat to the Junior Wallabies, but impacted their chances of winning the tournament.
They'll need a favour from Argentina in the last round of games on Sunday, from where they'll have to beat New Zealand by a bonus point.
The SA Under-20s have continued to flatter to deceive since their 2012 success on the world stage.
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A team rebounding from 17-0 down to win a game isn't new across all levels of rugby.
The bigger concern, though, for the Junior Springboks, who lost 29-24 to Australia at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Tuesday, was the gradual capitulation that allowed the visitors to build a second-half innings that ultimately won the game.
Even for Under-20s, it is understandable that games can be won or lost from that particular position, especially if there's a mental switch-off for more than 35 minutes.
This was the case for Kevin Foote's side, who had to endure a second consecutive loss to Australia across two Under-20 Rugby Championship editions.
Last year, under Bafana Nhleko's guidance, the SA Under-20s stuttered to a 24-19 loss to Australia after drawing their opening game 13-13 against the Junior All Blacks in Bokarina.
The manner of that loss wasn't as deflating considering how they went toe-to-toe, even though they had players off the field for yellow and red card offences in the second half that allowed Australia to have a foothold they didn't fully relinquish.
With 14 points in three minutes from a pick-and-drive try, along with some unexpected forward dominance, the Australians effectively put the game to bed at 26-17 in the 74th minute.
The loss leaves South Africa with an absolute mountain to climb as they face a New Zealand side they must beat with a bonus point, while also hoping that Argentina, who were flattened 75-21 by New Zealand in Tuesday's early game, get one over Australia.
READ | Coach Foote after Junior Boks let slip 17-0 lead: 'Australia deserve a lot of credit'
New Zealand, who are the defending champions, leads the four-team tournament with seven points after their 29-29 draw against Australia, from where they cleaned out Argentina.
Australia, who are on six points, could narrow the race between them and New Zealand if they beat Argentina with a bonus point.
South Africa are on five points and can only finish on 10, with New Zealand and Australia having a bench-mark of 12 and 11, respectively.
As much as South Africa's schoolboy rugby scene is comfortably the best in the world, with Under-18 players coming out of every corner, the step up to Under-20 has been such a difficult one that several coaches have failed to solve the conundrum.
Foote is the latest to try and figure out how he can take the Junior Springboks to the next level, with the group having last won the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in 2012.
They last visited the final in New Zealand in 2014 under Dawie Theron, who was also at the helm two years previously.
Whether Foote has a starting 15 or a strong bench is something he needs to fret over in the coming two days.
His bench rescued the Argentina game from 25-15 down, and the starters controlled the game at 17-0 until the 46th minute, from where Australia had their 29 minutes of 29 points.
Who he picks can't even be termed a gamble because, for all the riches South African junior rugby has at its disposal, its Under-20 failure is becoming a sore point.
There is an opportunity to salvage pride that was decimated by the second half somnolence they can ill-afford against New Zealand.
