Junior Boks fall short in thriller but take positives from narrow loss to New Zealand

In a heart-stopping final that had fans on the edge of their seats, the Junior Springboks came within inches of claiming the inaugural Under-20 Rugby Championship title but were ultimately edged out 48-45 by New Zealand in Gqeberha on Sunday.

Despite the narrow defeat, head coach Kevin Foote believes his side leaves the tournament with heads held high and valuable lessons in the bank ahead of the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy next month.

Nearly 15,000 spectators packed into the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to witness a pulsating match that saw the lead change multiple times and momentum swing with every whistle. At halftime, South Africa held a slender 26-24 advantage, having shown flashes of brilliance with ball in hand. But New Zealand, defending champions and perennial Under-20 powerhouses, held their nerve in the dying minutes — despite being reduced to 13 men — to clinch a dramatic victory.

Speaking after the match, Foote praised his players’ fighting spirit and the significant strides they’ve made as a group.

“There are a lot of positives to take from that performance,” Foote said. “We are on a massive journey together, and I’ve only met Riley Norton and the guys back in November, so we are definitely working hard on our game model and principles, which everyone understands now.”

While the defeat stings, Foote believes the growth in character, cohesion and attacking execution bodes well for the team’s future.

“From a character and leadership perspective, we are in a good place. The lessons we learnt will be of huge benefit as we approach the World Rugby U20 Championship.”

The match itself was an attacking showcase, with both teams willing to throw the ball around and play with flair. More than 90 points were scored in total, as the Junior Boks matched the Kiwis’ renowned pace and precision.

“I think Melusi (Mthethwa, the team’s backline coach) has done a great job in terms of our attack,” Foote added. “I really feel that the players have clarity on how we want to play. We played some exciting and brilliant attacking rugby during the tournament, and just to hear the crowd get behind us when we started to light it up was exceptional.”

Despite the attacking highlights, Foote acknowledged that there’s still work to be done.

“We know we are not the finished product, and we know we have a lot of work to do, but our attack has come a long way, and the guys are loving the way we are playing.”

Looking ahead, the coaching staff plans to rotate some players back to their provincial teams for game time in the SA Rugby U21 Cup, which Foote sees as an ideal opportunity to keep the group sharp and developing.

“It’s a strong competition, and the players are well-coached there. We are keen for them to keep going. There will be some whose load we’ll have to manage, but we will do our medicals and take it case by case.”

Team captain Riley Norton, who delivered another composed performance at lock, echoed his coach’s sentiments and highlighted the importance of the exposure gained from playing high-stakes rugby.

“To have played these high-pressure games against such quality opposition before the World Champs is going to be vital for us,” said Norton. “The lessons we learnt, the connections and relationships we have managed to build, not only on the field but off-field as well, and the trust we managed to create are extremely important to us.”

Norton also paid tribute to the Eastern Cape crowd, whose energy lifted the Junior Boks throughout the match.

“It was a massive honour for us to play in front of such a passionate crowd. They came out in numbers on a Sunday afternoon, and we are privileged to represent them and play for the country. We want to say thank you to the people of Gqeberha for the support and hospitality throughout our three-week-long stay here.”

While the scoreboard did not fall in their favour, the Junior Springboks will take much more than a final score from this campaign. The performance in Gqeberha has laid a strong foundation for what lies ahead in Italy, where the team will have a chance to turn promise into silverware on the global stage.