Junior Springboks maintain perfect record at U20 World Championships

The SA U20s had a sluggish start to the match, with a fired-up Georgian side playing their typical physical game and putting the South Africans under pressure in the process.

Georgia's discipline let them down though - they only had their full compliment of 15 players on the field for the last 10 minutes of the second half - while the Junior Boks remained composed and showed character by not getting involved in the scrap, while their pack also grew in confidence and put the hosts on the backfoot in the set pieces.

Pinned in their own half, the SA U20s were on the defence early in the game, and after missing a penalty shot at goal, Georgia scored the first points in the eighth minute when they played wide from a lineout with Luka Tabatadze (wing) crossing in the corner for an unconverted try.

The Junior Boks remained patient though and didn't panic, sticking to their structures and game plan. They were rewarded in the second quarter when SA U20 captain Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker) scored twice from driving mauls, in the 22nd and 33rd minutes, with flyhalf Luan Giliomee's conversion of the second try making it 12-5.

Both teams continued to grind hard, and the South Africans were denied at the death, shortly after Georgian tighthead prop Levani Ezieshvili was sent to the bin for a high tackle on Giliomee. The card was upgraded to a 20-minute red at the start of the second half.

Twenty seconds into the half, Tabatadze was yellow carded for a deliberate knock-down, leaving them with only 13 players on the field. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Georgians didn't let up and kept on hammering away at the SA attack.

However, the Junior Bok pack was growing in confidence and gaining the upper hand against the seven Georgian forwards, and in the 53rd minute, playing on the front foot, a perfect Giliomee cross-kick found Cheswill Jooste (wing) for their third try, converted by the SA U20 flyhalf.

A few minutes later, Daviti Tsiklauri (scrumhalf) was yellow carded for repeated infringements and while the Georgians were getting ready for a lineout, Giliomee showed some individual brilliance by taking a quick-tap and scoring the Junior Boks' fourth try, which he also converted to make it 26-5 with 20 minutes to go.

The game turned a bit scrappy towards end and the Junior Boks had the last say when Luke Cannon (flanker) scored their fifth try with just over a minute to go. Alzeadon Felix (replacement flyhalf) converted to make it 33-5.

Scorers:

Georgia U20 5 (5) - Try: Luka Tabatadze.

Junior Springboks 33 (12) - Tries: Siphosethu Mnebelele (2), Cheswill Jooste, Luan Giliomee, Luke Cannon. Conversions: Giliomee (3), Alzeadon Felix.

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