RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP U20 | Junior Boks Take Early Lead After Tough Win Over Pumitas

Francois de Wet
05 May 2025
15:47

The South African U20 rugby team delivered a barnstorming second-half display in their opening game of the Rugby Championship U20 competition to beat Argentina 36-25 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.

Junior Springbok flyhalf Philip-Albert van Niekerk kicked a last-minute penalty goal to seal a remarkable 30-28 victory for the SA U20s against Argentina
Junior Springbok flyhalf Philip-Albert van Niekerk kicked a last-minute penalty goal to seal a remarkable 30-28 victory for the SA U20s against Argentina

The result sees the Junior Springboks take pole position on the log after, earlier in the day, New Zealand and Australia’s young guns played out an entertaining 29-all draw.

Coach Kevin Foote’s Baby Boks had their work cut out against a plucky Argentinian side determined to cause an early upset in the second edition of the Southern Hemisphere’s new age-grade competition.

And at halftime it looked as if the Pumitas had the number of their Junior Springbok counterparts, with the South Americans leading 20-15 after tries by Pascal Senillosa and Basutista Lescanu, with Rafael Benedit also slotting two penalty goals.

Argentina gave the South Africans a lot to think about ahead of next Tuesday’s Round 2 games and put the Baby Boks under massive pressure in the scrums and in the lineouts.

However, South Africa looked the more dangerous side on attack as outside backs Guillerom Mento, Cheswill Julius and Gino Cupido managed to beat defenders with constant ease.

And after an early Kyle Smith penalty put South Africa in the lead, scrumhalf Hashim Pead dotted down untouched after a brilliant linebreak by No.13 Demitre Erasmus.

Erasmus then turned from provider to try scorer as he cut apart the Pumitas defence to give the Baby Boks a 15-13 lead before Lescanu’s try put the South Americans ahead at the break.

Argentina then increased their lead shortly after the break as captain Felipe Ledesma dived over in the left corner.

But instead of panicking, the Baby Boks continued to knock on the door, with some physical defence forcing the Argies into errors.

And when Pead scored his second try to bring Baby Boks back to within three points, the momentum shifted in the home side’s favour as captain Riley Norton barged his way over, before Cupido scored the fifth five-pointer and took the game beyond the reach of Argentina.

The visitors did launch a late onslaught, but South Africa’s defence held firm to ensure they go into their next game against Australia as the log leaders.

SCORERS:

SA U20 36 (15) – Tries: Hashim Pead (2), Demitre Erasmus, Riley Norton and Gino Cupido.

Conversions: Kyle Smith (2) and Vusi Moyo. Penalty: Kyle Smith

ARG U20 25 (20) – Tries: Pascal Senillosa, Basutista Lescanu and Felipe Ledesma.

Conversions:

Rafael Benedit (2). Penalties: Benedit (2)

In the opening game of the tournament, Australia salvaged a 29-all draw against defending champions, New Zealand, who let slip a 12-point lead in the final 10 minutes of a see-saw battle.

The Baby Blacks made a fast start as Harlyn Saunoa scored the game's opening try. Still, the Australian youngsters would dominate large parts of the first half as Liam Grover drew the scores level, before they hit the lead as winger Sid Harvey scored and converted his five-pointer for a 12-5 lead.

Australia gained their dominance at set-piece time with the New Zealanders conceding penalties at scrum-time and the Aussie youngsters disrupting their lineouts.

The Junior Wallabies also dominated the physical exchanges and were full value for their 17-10 halftime lead as Grover scored his second try from a turnover after the Kiwis thought they had found a way back into the game through a Stanley Solomon try.

A cynical foul by Junior Wallabies No.10 Joey Fowler, for slapping down the ball with New Zealand hot on the attack, saw the Aussies relinquish their lead early in the second half as Maloni Kunawave bagged a brace of tries, with Fowler sin-binned for 10 minutes for his error.

New Zealand extended their lead as they were awarded a penalty try after lock Mangelsdorf illegally brought down an attacking maul by the Kiwis. But, the Aussies hit straight back when prop Trevor King drove his way over from close quarters.

And then with no time left on the clock, the Kiwis opted to take a lineout instead of a scrum, with the Aussies pinching the ball and then piggy-backed their way up to the tryline as Beau Morrison crashed over from a maul before Harvey added the extra two to share the spoils.

SCORERS:

NZ U20 29 (10) – Tries: Harlyn Saunoa, Stanley Solomon, Maloni Kunawave (2) and penalty try*.

Conversion:

Solomon.

Penalties:

AUS U20 29 (17) – Tries: Liam Grover (2), Sid Harvey, Trevor King and Beau Morrison.

Conversions:

Harvey (2).

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