The U20 South African rugby team played their hearts out during a game against Argentina and came out victorious, earning their place in the semi-finals.
Cape Town, South Africa (05 July 2023) – Both teams needed to win, Argentina with a bonus point, to leapfrog Georgia at the top of Pool C and book the last remaining place in the semi-finals.
And in front of a vociferous crowd at Athlone Sports Stadium, it was Argentina who settled into their task quickest, three Valentino Dicapua penalties giving them a 9-0 lead by the 23rd minute.
South Africa’s deficit could have been larger had Los Pumitas captain Eliseo Chiavassa not detached from the jumper on his way to the try-line 12 minutes earlier.
It looked like being a costly let-off as the hosts narrowed the deficit to just two points after hooker Juann Else powered over the line from close range.
However, Junior Springboks captain Paul de Villiers had earlier been warned about his team’s growing penalty count and when JF van Heerden gave away a seventh with just under 10 minutes of the half remaining, he was sent to the sin-bin.
Argentina was unable to make their hosts pay from the resulting lineout, as they again infringed, but prop Renzo Zanella did go over before half-time, following a smart break from scrum-half Agustín Moyano and fine support play by centre Nicolás López González. Dicapua converted to give Los Pumitas a 16-7 half-time lead.
South Africa had 40 minutes to prevent their title hopes being extinguished at the pool stage for only the second time in U20 Championship history and they narrowed the deficit to six points with a Jean Smith penalty early in the second half.
The majority of the second half played out amid an anxious atmosphere in Cape Town as both sides battled not to make the mistake that would cost them victory.
Hakeem Kunene thought he had scored South Africa’s second try following a scintillating break from Jurenzo Julius but the winger’s foot was just in touch at the start of his stunning run.
It was ultimately left to Mastercard Player of the Match Beets to break the tension, and Georgian hearts elsewhere, as his two titanic tries in the final 12 minutes rescued a 24-16 win for the hosts and their place in the semi-finals.
“They had a positive mindset in terms of playing, keeping ball in hand. We knew that once we get them going, we’re quite a good team. The other thing was we stemmed the tide of set-piece penalties. That was probably the biggest difference because once we did that then we could win the game.” – Bafana Nhleko, Junior Springboks Coach
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