A packed Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium witnessed the Junior Boks officially crowned champions after an unforgettable tournament on home soil.
South Africa (11 May 2026) – South African rugby fans were already celebrating the Junior Springboks’ incredible run at the SANZAAR Under-20 Rugby Championship last week, but now it’s official. The Junior Boks are champions.
A dramatic 29-29 draw against New Zealand at a packed Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday was enough to seal South Africa’s first-ever SANZAAR U20 title, with the hosts finishing top of the standings on 13 points.
And fittingly, the title-clinching match delivered everything. Big moments, late drama and a crowd of more than 18,000 fully invested from start to finish.
The Junior Boks knew they only needed a single log point to secure the trophy, and they got that early in the second half when Samuel Badenhorst crossed for South Africa’s crucial fourth try.
That moment sparked celebrations inside the stadium, but the game itself was far from over.
South Africa started brightly, with flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed opening the scoring before fullback Akahluwa Boqwana announced himself with a brilliant try out wide. But New Zealand responded quickly, showing exactly why they came into the final day as defending champions.
Just a minute into the second half, Khuthadzo Rasivhaga fielded a high ball brilliantly before South Africa worked the overlap for Badenhorst to score in the corner. Ahmed added the conversion to stretch the lead to 29-15, and of course secure the bonus point the Junior Boks needed.
New Zealand clawed their way back into the contest with a series of late attacks, eventually levelling the scores in the dying minutes after sustained pressure near the South African tryline. Still, by then, the bigger prize already belonged to the Junior Boks. And while the final scoreboard ended level, there was no doubt who walked away as champions.
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