The Junior Springboks will contest a second consecutive Junior World Championship final after overcoming a spirited England side in a hard-fought semi-final in Tbilisi on Tuesday evening, with SA U20 head coach Kevin Foote praising the maturity, resilience, and depth of his squad.
The Junior Boks were tested throughout this thrilling encounter in the Georgian capital and England led 20-12 at the break, but once again found a way to lift their intensity when it mattered most, producing a composed second-half performance to book a place in Saturday’s decider against France courtesy of a 53-37 semi-final victory.
Foote said the key message at half-time was for the team to remain calm, stick to their structures and continue building pressure.
“At half-time, it was really about us looking after the ball a little better and making sure we could keep applying pressure on England consistently,” said Foote.
“England showed the spirit we expected from them and there were times when we probably started a little slowly again. The conditions weren’t easy and perhaps didn’t suit the style of rugby we always want to play, but what pleased us most was the maturity the players showed.
“They went back after half-time, stuck to our processes and executed very well in the second half.”
The Junior Springbok victory was once more built on another tireless effort from the pack, who laid the foundation up front while creating opportunities for the exciting attacking threats out wide.
Foote praised the work ethic and leadership displayed by his forwards throughout the tournament campaign: “The forwards have worked incredibly hard since this group first came together, and players in our leadership group have really stepped up, but all our forwards are putting in a huge amount of hard work.
“This was our fourth game in three weeks, so everyone is feeling it physically. The fact that they keep going and keep pushing is very impressive.”
As has been the case throughout the tournament, the Junior Bok bench again played a decisive role, maintaining the intensity and ensuring there was no drop-off when the replacements entered the fray.
Foote highlighted the value of a squad that has embraced every opportunity, regardless of playing time.
“The bench made a massive contribution,” said Foote.
“We’ve spoken throughout the tournament about the importance of the entire squad. Some players have had to wait patiently for their opportunities, but when they come on, they make a real impact.
“We have a very talented squad with great depth, and we are fortunate to be working with a group that has that quality. When the replacements come on, they really lift the team.”
The Junior Boks now turn their attention to France, who edged New Zealand 26-22 in the first semi-final to set up a mouth-watering clash on Saturday. The French arrive in the final as Six Nations champions – a fact not lost on the Junior Bok coach.
“France have been outstanding,” he said. “Against New Zealand they worked hard, stayed in the fight right until the end and showed tremendous spirit. They’re also the Six Nations champions, so we know they’re going to be a huge challenge.
“For us, it’s about recovering well, enjoying the opportunity to spend another week together as a group, and then looking forward to the final.”
While the Junior Boks played all their matches so far at the Avchala Stadium, the JWC final will take place at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi, where kick-off is scheduled for 18h30 on Saturday evening.
Sir Shark
The record for the most consecutive victories in international rugby is held by the New Zealand All Blacks, who achieved a 47-match winning streak between August 2010 and December 2012.
Canine Hannibal
The first recorded game was played in 1646.