The Junior Springboks have broken a 13-year championship drought, defeating New Zealand 23-15 in a pulsating World Rugby U20 Championship final on a sweltering night in Italy. The victory marks South Africa’s first age-grade world title since 2012 and extends their remarkable winning streak against the Baby Blacks to seven consecutive matches.
The triumph sees South Africa’s U20 team join the senior Springboks and Blitzboks at the summit of world rugby, with all three national teams now holding World Rugby’s premier trophies simultaneously.
Dominant first half sets foundation
The Junior Boks laid the groundwork for victory with a commanding first-half performance, taking a 13-5 lead into the break through clinical execution when it mattered most.
Flanker Xola Nyali opened the scoring with an early maul try, expertly converted by the reliable boot of Vusi Moyo for a 7-0 advantage that immediately put the Kiwis on the back foot.
New Zealand responded through lock Jayden Sa, who exploited a clever lineout move to crash over and narrow the deficit to 7-5. However, Moyo’s penalty goal restored South Africa’s eight-point buffer at 10-5.
The game’s turning point came when New Zealand prop Sika Pole received a 20-minute red card for a dangerous high tackle, leaving his team a man down for the crucial closing stages of the first half.
Despite enjoying numerical superiority, the Junior Boks were unable to capitalize immediately, with Moyo missing a drop goal attempt that would have extended their lead further.
A yellow card to SA centre Albe Bester for a dangerous ruck entry briefly evened the numbers, but Moyo’s second penalty goal pushed the lead to 13-5 at halftime, giving South Africa a comfortable cushion heading into the decisive second period.
Second half drama
New Zealand emerged from the break with renewed intensity, camping in South African territory through multiple attacking phases before earning a penalty. Flyhalf Rico Simpson successfully converted to reduce the gap to 13-8 after 47 minutes.
Moyo immediately responded with his third penalty goal, restoring the eight-point advantage at 16-8 as the Junior Boks began to assert their dominance in the championship’s closing stages.
The decisive moment came with just three minutes remaining when wing Haashim Pead produced a moment of magic, chipping a delicate kick to the corner that found the waiting arms of fullback Gilermo Mentoe for the match-sealing try.
At 23-8, the championship was effectively over, despite a late consolation try from New Zealand’s Maloni Kunawave in the dying minutes.
What this means for SA rugby
The victory represents a significant milestone for South African rugby development, with the Junior Springboks proving they remain the gold standard in age-grade rugby despite the 13-year gap between world titles.
The triumph also maintains South Africa’s psychological edge over New Zealand at U20 level, having now defeated their traditional rivals seven times in succession in this tournament, including both finals they’ve contested.
For coach Bafana Nhleko and his team, the victory validates their approach of prioritizing strong defense, discipline, and taking scoring opportunities when they arise – hallmarks that have long defined successful Springbok teams.
Final Score:
Junior Springboks 23 – Tries: Xola Nyali, Gilermo Mentoe. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (2). Penalty goals: Moyo (3).
New Zealand 15 – Tries: Jayden Sa, Maloni Kunawave. Conversion: Will Cole. Penalty goal: Rico Simpson.
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