SA Under-19s look to grow after tough French test
SA Under-19 captain Riley Norton said Saturday's match against the French Under-19s was played in a fantastic spirit and noted that the crowd certainly played their part.
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THE SA Under-19 Academy side will take important lessons from their 20-12 defeat to France in Châteauroux on Saturday, with Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton confident that the group will show improvement when they face Ireland next week.
The tightly contested clash drew a passionate crowd of eight thousand supporters, who witnessed a level first half that ended 7-7 with each team scoring a converted try.
France, however, found their rhythm after the break, running in another converted try and adding two penalty goals. The South Africans could only manage another five-pointer to their tally as the French snuffed out their attack.
TheSA squad will now shift focus to the second leg of their tour as they travel to Dublin on Sunday. They will be based in Cork to prepare for Friday evening’s match against Ireland Under-19.
Speaking after the match, Norton expressed pride in the effort and emphasised the value of the experience gained in France. “The crowd was fantastic, and France played well to win the game, so congratulations to them,” he said.
“The main goal for us is to use the tour so the team can learn and grow by playing proper games against quality opposition as we rebuild towards Georgia next year. We will learn from these mistakes and now prepare to face Ireland, hoping for an improved performance in Cork.”
Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote echoed his captain’s thoughts, highlighting the developmental focus of the tour. “The main objective is developing this group, giving them clarity of our game model and how we want to play, and giving our team key experiences,” Foote explained.
“France played with typical French flair, and we will have to learn from our mistakes, which will help us to grow as we build towards the next international Under-20 season.”
For many players, the match was their first time representing South Africa abroad, making the occasion particularly meaningful. The team had only a few days together in Stellenbosch before preparing at the French Rugby Federation’s High Performance Centre in Marcoussis.
Despite the result, both Foote and Norton view the encounter as an important step in the squad’s journey toward next year’s World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Georgia, with crucial opportunities for growth still ahead on the tour.
Scorers:
France U19: Tries: Edouard Jabea Njocke, Quentin Valentino Conversions: Luka Keletaona (2) Penalties: Keletaona (2)
SA U19 Academy: Tries: Siphosethu Mnebelele, Kebotile Maake Conversion: Vusi Moyo