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Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote believes the U20 Rugby Championship, hosted in Gqeberha, was instrumental in preparing his side for success at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy.
Despite finishing third in PE, Foote says it gave them the freedom to trial combinations and refine their squad ahead of the global showpiece.
That groundwork paid off, as the Baby Boks lifted the trophy after a 25-13 win over New Zealand in Saturday’s final.
"The support we have received from SA rugby has been incredible. The preparation matches put us in good stead, and if it weren't for those matches, we would not have achieved this success," highlighted Foote.
The UCT Ikeys alumnus says the team’s defensive improvements were a direct result of lessons learned in Gqeberha.
"We really looked hard at our defence in Gqeberha, and we looked at our team, and we asked them what they would like from us, and they explained that we should change our defensive system a little bit to suit our players, and we did that really well."
Several members of the Junior Boks will now transition into the senior provincial ranks. Among them, Cheswill Jooste, Demitre Erasmus, JJ Theron, Jean Erasmus, Jaco Grobbelaar, and Esethu Mnebelele are all set to run out for the Bulls in the upcoming Currie Cup.
Vice-captain Haashim Pead joins the Lions setup, while Batho Hlekani and Vusi Moyo will continue their development with the Sharks.
Foote says it’s vital these young players stay grounded and continue putting in the hard work.
The Junior Springboks now join a proud legacy of players who used the U20 platform to launch into the senior national team, names like Handrè Pollard, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Steven Kitshoff.
Foote hopes this golden generation will take the same path, but cautions that the path ahead won’t be without its challenges.
