Springboks Celebrate as Junior Boks Beat New Zealand to Win U20 World Championship
- The Junior Springboks won their first World Rugby U20 Championship in 13 years, defeating New Zealand 23-15 in Italy
- Senior Springboks celebrated the victory, singing and cheering on the junior team after their win at Mbombela Stadium
- Coach Kevin Foote and captain Riley Norton praised the team’s trademark defensive grit, resilience, and preparation in tough conditions
The Junior Springboks made history on Saturday by beating New Zealand 23-15 in the World Rugby U20 Championship final in Italy, their first title in 13 years.
The last time the two sides met in a final was in 2012, when a Junior Boks side featuring future Springbok stars like Handré Pollard and Pieter-Steph du Toit also won.
Source: Twitter
In a fitting full-circle moment, Pollard and Du Toit were in the senior Springbok change room on Saturday, watching and celebrating the juniors’ success after their victory over Georgia at Mbombela Stadium.
Footage shows the Springboks singing and cheering in support of the U20 team as they sealed the title.
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How did the Boks do it?
The Junior Boks opened the scoring through flanker Xola Nyali, who crashed over from a powerful rolling maul. Flyhalf Vusi Moyo converted and went on to add three pressure penalties to stretch South Africa’s lead.
While the Baby Blacks showed glimpses of danger, including a first-half try from lock Jayden Sa, they never fully broke through the green wall.
The Junior All Blacks were hard done by a red card
A 20-minute red card to New Zealand’s Sika Pole after a high tackle swung the momentum further toward the Junior Boks, who took full advantage. Although a try by Haashim Pead was disallowed and Moyo missed a drop goal, the South Africans never lost control.
Fullback Gilermo Mentoe’s try in the dying minutes sealed the result and triggered wild celebrations among players and fans.
The last time South Africa won this tournament was in 2012, also against New Zealand. Thirteen years on, a new generation has etched their name into rugby folklore.
On a humid Italian night, the Junior Boks reclaimed their throne, and with it, reignited the dream.
Source: Twitter
How did the coach and captain react?
Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote and captain Riley Norton were full of praise for the team’s resilience and preparation following their hard-fought 23-15 victory over New Zealand in the World Rugby U20 Championship final.
Foote credited the team’s trademark South African defensive grit and unwavering spirit for holding off intense pressure in crucial moments.
“Defence is all about character,” he said, highlighting the team’s resolve when the Kiwis were camped near their tryline.
Reflecting on the squad’s journey, Foote called them a special group whose growth from training camp to champions has been inspiring.
Norton echoed his coach’s sentiments, emphasising the challenging playing conditions in Italy’s humid heat and the importance of fundamentals under pressure.
He also praised their conditioning and training back home in Stellenbosch, which helped the team adapt seamlessly to the Italian summer.
“This win is for everyone who supported us back home,” Norton added, underlining the pride and unity behind their historic triumph.
Why the Georgia match is special for two Boks
Briefly News previously reported on why the Springboks match against Georgia will be historic for two Boks players.
The game which ended in the favour of South Africa with a 55-10 victory was a special one for captain Siya Kolisi and lockman, Eben Etzebeth.
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Source: Briefly News
