Slick backs, physicality sees Junior Springboks edge out Argentina in U20 Rugby Championship

It took the Junior Springboks a wake-up call in the second half to get going in their Under-20 Rugby Championship opener against Argentina in Gqeberha on Thursday.

A try shortly after the break by the Pumitas opened a double-score advantage to them to place pressure on the South Africans in front of their fans.

But three additional tries by the home team, thanks to some enterprising play between the backline and forwards, secured a 36-25 victory at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

SA are atop the Championship standings with four points after New Zealand and Australia drew 29-29 in the first clash on Thursday.

While the visitors were first to score in the second half, it was the South Africans who comfortably dominated proceedings as their opposition tired as the match went along.

Despite not dominating at scrum-time, the South African Under-20s made up for it with their physicality, and it allowed the backline to get running.

Tries by scrumhalf Haashim Pead, his second of the match, after some entertaining play through the middle from captain Riley Norton and winger Gino Cupido out wide brought the hosts back into the game.

For all three scores, the Junior Boks did well to use their mobility to get the better of their opponents. Pead and centre Demitre Erasmus got on the scoreboard in the first half.

A crucial penalty win went against Argentina in the 78th minute when they were right in front of the SA tryline.

A score there would’ve set the sides up for an intense finish.

But against the run of play, the South Africans won a scrum penalty, and it allowed them to exit comfortably to see out the final minute-and-a-half of play, despite Argentina not backing down as they went looking for their fourth try.

The opening 10 minutes were a cagey affair between the two southern-hemisphere sides as they tried to feel each other out.

The Junior Boks opened the scoring via a penalty before the equaliser came after they could not exit from the kickoff.

A South African score afterwards gave them the lead again before the Argentines hit back with one of their own to tie things up once more.

The home side's inability to exit was one of the areas that gave the Pumitas easy territory.

They had a couple of nearly tries in the first half when some desperate defence by the Junior Boks secured a knock on over the tryline and another knock-on just as speedy Argentina winger Bautista Lescano stripped away to score was caught by the TMO.

It was the perfect clash for the Junior Springboks and coach Kevin Foote to see where they are and what needs fixing ahead of the final two clashes.

They struggled in the scrums and had some lapses in concentration on the attack.

But it was the first competitive game, and they performed well when put under pressure in the first half.

Points-Scorers 

Junior Springboks 36 – Tries: Haashim Pead (2), Demitre Erasmus, Riley Norton, Gino Cupido. Conversions: Kyle Smith (3), Vusi Moyo (1). Penalty: Smith (1).

Argentina U20 25 – Tries: Pascal Senillosa, Bautista Lescano, Felipe Ledesma. Conversions: Rafael Benedit (2). Penalties: Benedit (2).