The Junior Springboks were satisfied with their opening-round victory over Uruguay, but remain firmly grounded, aware that sterner challenges lie ahead as the 2026 Junior World Championship gathers pace in Georgia.
That was the message from Rambo Kubheka, who led the SA U20s on Saturday night, and Jordan Steenkamp, who scored a hat-trick of tries in the Junior Boks’ commanding 104-7 Pool A win in Tbilisi.
The defending champions ran in 16 tries at the Avchala Stadium, leading 50-0 at half-time in a dominant display against the South Americans.
Markus Muller opened the scoring, while Khuthadzo Rasivhaga and Jayden Brits each grabbed a brace. Steenkamp and Risima Khosa both crossed for hat-tricks, with further tries from Ethan Adams, Cheswill Jooste, Siphosethu Mnebelele and Gert Kemp. The Junior Boks were also awarded a penalty try before Uruguay scored a late consolation five pointer.
Despite the scale of the victory, Kubheka stressed the importance of perspective.
“The boys played well and I couldn’t have asked for more in our first game,” said Kubheka, who led from the front with a strong performance in the tight exchanges before being replaced in the second half. Squad captain Mnebelele took over the captaincy after the break.
Kubheka echoed the sentiments of Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote, who praised Uruguay’s tenacity, highlighted by their try scored after the final hooter: “Playing against South American teams, you know what to expect. They play with pride, they are very passionate and they never go away.”
Looking ahead to Thursday’s clash against hosts Georgia, Kubheka expects a far tougher contest: “We’ve played them three times already this year, so we know what’s coming. They are a hard-working, physical side and we are very clear about the challenge they will bring.”
Steenkamp said it was a relief to finally get their campaign underway after an intense build-up: “I’m grateful to my teammates for putting me in positions to score. It was a real team effort, and the forwards laid a strong platform for us backs to finish.”
The Junior Bok speedster also credited Uruguay for their resilience: “We stuck to our plan, and we must give credit to Uruguay – they never made it easy for us. They tested us on defence, and we had to work hard for our opportunities.
“We’re pleased with the result, but we know we’ll be tested again against Georgia.”
On Monday, the Junior Boks will resume their preparations for their next match, having enjoyed Sunday as a recovery day.
tacklebox
The cricket ball weighs 163 grams. Its core is made of cork which is wrapped with several layers of yarn. The outer casing is made of leather, which is then coated with lacquer.
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Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi played for two nations: England and India.