The Junior Springboks produced a dominant display in the sweltering Italian sun on Wednesday, romping to a 73–14 win over Scotland in their final Pool A clash at the World Rugby U20 Championship. With the bonus-point victory, South Africa wrapped up an unbeaten pool stage campaign, having already stunned Australia and defending champions England.
Coach Kevin Foote’s charges were in electric form, blending brute power with flair to deliver a clinical and entertaining performance that has them topping not just their pool, but the tournament standings heading into the semi-finals.
It was a mature effort and our squad is in a good place,” said Foote. “I thought our back row were excellent around the breakdown. Some of those tries were great, and most of them came off the hard work done up front. That gave the boys the platform to really open up the game.”
Indeed, the Junior Boks looked every bit like a team with silverware in their sights. Their physical dominance at the breakdown, coupled with pinpoint support lines and a willingness to strike from deep, proved too much for a spirited but outclassed Scottish outfit.
What impressed most, though, was the side’s composure and cohesion – especially given that several players are featuring at their first U20 Championship. Foote was quick to highlight the squad’s mindset as a key factor in their consistent performances.
“They are a humble bunch,” he added. “Even in the changeroom after the game, there was joy, sure, but also a real focus on what comes next. They’re not getting ahead of themselves.”
Captain for the day, Thando Biyela, echoed his coach’s sentiments and gave Scotland their due for a combative second-half showing.
“It was a good win, but a tough game,” Biyela said. “We started well and had a strong first 20 minutes, which really set us up. But credit to Scotland, they made us work and tested us in the second half.”
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Biyela believes the team still has another gear to hit.
“There’s always room for improvement. We want to put in a full 80-minute performance and reach our full potential,” he added.
The Boks’ backline were electric in open space, but it was the forwards who laid the foundation with relentless breakdown pressure and set-piece dominance. The support running was spot-on, and the decision-making with ball in hand was sharp. Scotland showed heart, particularly in a period where they held the Boks up over the tryline on three occasions, but ultimately, they couldn’t cope with the pace or precision of South Africa’s play.
Foote now faces the happy headache of team selection for the semi-finals, a task made tougher by the quality of depth in the Junior Bok camp.
It’s a difficult problem to have, and I keep saying it – the talent we have in South Africa is incredible,” Foote admitted. “It’ll be tough to leave guys out, but we’re focused on what’s best for the team heading into the knockout phase.”
With their semi-final clash scheduled for Monday, 14 July in Viadana, the Junior Springboks now turn their attention to recovery and refinement. The identity of their next opponents will be confirmed once all pool matches wrap up – but whoever they face, South Africa will go in as the form team and serious title contenders.
One thing’s for sure: this Junior Bok team is hitting stride at just the right time – and they’re not done yet.
