The rugby rivalry between South Africa and New Zealand will enter another chapter on Saturday when the Junior Springboks face their NZ U20 counterparts in the final of the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship in Rovigo, Italy.
The Junior Boks qualified for their first final appearance since 2014 when they defeated Argentina Monday evening in Viadana, while New Zealand beat France in their semi-final played earlier in the day at the same venue.
Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote spoke of the significance of the occasion set to happen on Saturday, highlighting the rivalry and rugby culture shared by both nations.
“Every child in South Africa and every child in New Zealand who has ever picked up a rugby ball dreams of this occasion,” said Foote in the aftermath of his team’s hard-fought victory over Argentina in Viadana. “It’s a special moment, and they (NZ) are a special side. A final between these two teams is fantastic for the game of rugby.”
Junior Bok captain Riley Norton echoed his coach’s sentiments, calling the final the “ultimate test” for the South African Under-20 side.
“You don’t need any extra motivation for a final like this,” said Norton. “As coach Kevin said, you dream of a match like this – facing the haka on Saturday, the history and tradition of rugby between SA and NZ is just unbelievable.
“We love playing each other and have great respect for one another. It’s going to be an 80-minute battle. We’re extremely excited for Saturday, and I know the guys are up for it and very keen.”
While the SA U20s are excited for the final, Foote emphasised that the Junior Boks remain focused on growth and continuous improvement: “We’ll keep improving, and the thing is that we’ve played some awesome rugby in this tournament. I couldn’t be prouder of this group.
“I told them in the changeroom (after the Argentina victory) how proud I am – to be on this journey with them is very special. They are absolute warriors and remain humble.”
Foote also credited the recent U20 Rugby Championship, held in Gqeberha in May, as a crucial part of their preparation for the Italian tournament.
“Some of the Northern Hemisphere teams have over 2,000 minutes of game time per calendar year for their younger players,” the Junior Bok coach said.
“We want to get as much high-quality game time as possible with our players. The reality is that in the Rugby Championship, we were building towards the World Rugby U20 Championship, using it to build synergy and combinations and so we’re extremely grateful for that tournament.”
Meanwhile, the Junior Boks enjoyed a non-training on Tuesday to recover from their energy-sapping semi-final against Argentina and will resume preparations on Wednesday at their base in Valpolicella outside Verona.
The matchday squad to face New Zealand will be announced on Thursday afternoon. Saturday’s final marks the first time the two sides meet in a World Rugby U20 Championship final since South Africa’s memorable victory over New Zealand in the 2012 sold-out final at Newlands in Cape Town.
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