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Junior Springboks dominate Australia with 73-17 victory in World Rugby U20 Championship opener in Italy
Junior Springbok lock JJ Theron masters a lineout as the rest of the forwards set up for one of their storming rolling mauls in their World Rugby U20 Championship clash against Australia on Sunday.
Image: Sabrina Conforti | World Rugby.
The Junior Springboks racked up 11 tries against Australia to get their campaign in the World Rugby U20 Championship off to a powerful start in Calvisano, Italy.
It was a game built on absolute physical dominance by the pack of forwards and some excellent strike-running from the backline that laid the foundation for the 73-17 victory over the young Australians. It was sweet revenge for head coach Kevin Foote and his side against a team who beat them last month in Gqeberha during the U20 Rugby Championship.
From one end of the sun blistered Calvisano turf to the other!
It's a white hot finish for South Africa 🔥#WorldRugbyU20s — World Rugby (@WorldRugby) June 29, 2025
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South Africa dominated from the start and had already secured the four-try bonus point after 35 minutes in the match. They scored five of their tries in the first half with some great interplay between the forwards and backs. At the start of the second half, they continued on the same path and concluded the final forty with six tries – the last one right on the full-time whistle.
While the backline was full of running as they scored some brilliant tries, including the first one of scrumhalf Haashim Pead where they ran from almost on their own try line, the set pieces fired as well. They were excellent with their lineouts and rolling mauls, although some improvement will be needed in the scrums where they conceded some penalties.
