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FORUM / RUGBY /  RE: SA Under 20 team is really good - even without one of their best players.

RE: SA Under 20 team is really good - even without one of their best players.

Started by clevermike11 REPLIES1,021 VIEWS· 12 May 2018, 10:54
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CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
12 May 2018, 10:54
#1
12 May 2018, 10:54#1

They beat England and the following is the report from news 24 about the game:-


"Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux lauded his team’s character after they produced an admirable team effort to defeat England 26-12 on Friday at the Sixways Stadium in Worcester, England, in their final UK tour match.

This followed victories against Wales and Scotland on tour, and Georgia in Cape Town, as part of their World Rugby U20 Championship preparations.


The Junior Springboks outscored England four tries to two, after leading 14-7 at the break.


“I am very proud,” said Roux. “This was our third match on tour against a fresh English side, and the players showed tremendous character, so all credit to them. 


“It was a great team effort. I thought we had the upper hand in the scrums and the lineouts at times, and sometimes they had it, which just shows. But we were lucky to get through it.

 

“We really showed great character.”  


With a series of solid performances in the lead-up to the World Rugby U20 Championship, Roux was confident that his charges were on the right track for the international spectacle, which will be hosted in the south of France from 30 May to 17 June.


“This most definitely gives us confidence,” said the coach. “We wanted a tough tour with three challenging games, and that is exactly what we got before the tournament.” 


The first half against England was tightly fought as both packs tried to create a solid platform, while the backs fed off this to make their presence felt.   The Junior Springboks struck first with a try in the opening minutes by winger David Kriel and fullback Gianni Lombard converted to hand the team a 7-0 lead. Lombard received a yellow card shortly after for an illegal tackle, and England took advantage of this as winger Ben Loader forced his way through the defence out wide to level the scores.

The hard grind continued between the packs in the following exchanges, but it was the SAU20’s who made the most of this, as scrumhalf Rewan Kruger dotted down after some good forward pressure, which pushed the visitors 14-7 ahead.


The SAU20s extended their lead to 19-7 thirteen minutes into the second half as hooker Schalk Erasmus crossed the chalk from a rolling maul, and the team continued to apply pressure on attack as the match progressed. 


England closed the gap on the scoreboard to 19-12 in the 65th minute as Henry Walker scored the team’s second try. But this was cancelled out later on as Junior Springbok centre and man-of-the-match Rikus Pretorius scored an intercept try with six minutes left on the clock to stretch their lead to 26-12.


England fought hard until the end, but the visitors’ solid defence shut them out, and they wrapped up the victory.


The Junior Springboks will return to South Africa for their World Rugby U20 Championship holding camp before departing for France on 25 May.


England U20s 12 (7) Junior Springboks 26 (14)

England – Tries: Ben Loader, Henry Walker. Conversion: James Grayson

Junior Springboks - Tries: David Kriel, Rewan Kruger, Schalk Erasmus, Rikus Pretorius. Conversions: Gianni Lombard (3)."


Even though the Juniors won easily against  Scotland nd Wales - the no 4 and no 5 team in the 6-Nations comp - their real test was against the English team who was second on the 6-Nations log.   France in fact was the top of the log team on point difference - even though England beat them 22-3 in the game.


The Juniors is likely to end in the final against the AB Under 20' 's   

BR
BrycyPro4,671 posts
13 May 2018, 09:56
#2
13 May 2018, 09:56#2

...notsoclever mike ,...i would'nt put too much weight on those results....England may have finished second in the U20 6N but they were also beaten by Scotland and Scotland lost to Italy -  Italy finished last in the 6N..

... friendly games don't count for much either as teams are still trialing combinations...anything could happen ... i see Superbru has a U20s predictor comp, maybe you should start a league ...

MO
MoonroverPro1,973 posts
13 May 2018, 13:04
#3
13 May 2018, 13:04#3

The main thing is the prep this year,last year we would have challenged NZ in the final just too  many yellow cards in build up.

NZ and Aussie finished their Pacific Nations final last week  :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnOYbTy7BQ8

Junior Boks needed these games as well as the few they had here,the other side of note Argentina would do well to follow them as they've done well in the past.

CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
13 May 2018, 13:18
#4
13 May 2018, 13:18#4

Brycy

I reopened the saruckersforum pools for the following:-

*   The Under 20 WC; and

*    The June test series.

Hope we can convince more members to join those two since there will be no fantasy rugby operating during June.

CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
13 May 2018, 13:25
#5
13 May 2018, 13:25#5

moonrover 

Up top last year we used to play 3 uNderf 20 games against Argentina.   Last year therewere ni such games nnd the preparatory matches were with the poorer CC sides.

This year the sceariop changed with SA playing the UK Unions and Georgia in pre-tournament matches - which is much better prparations than the case was last year.

The Argentinians should have a good team.   They played in the Paarl International Schools/Under 19 series recently and did quite well.    Argentina did not bring a school team - rather than their Under 19  squad fromtheir rugby academy.  

To the shock of many they beat Paarl Boys High - but became uss tuck against Grey Collage

CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
13 May 2018, 13:26
#6
13 May 2018, 13:26#6

Duplication

TH
TheTraditionalistPro4,003 posts
14 May 2018, 14:09
#7
14 May 2018, 14:09#7

There is nothing to make from the result except that SA, to cover for their hapless level, does not consider the youth team as a step toward the senior team.

One of the many tales spoken by SA rugby: they see results in youth games as a compensation for their failing senior team.

If the SA youth team won the WC, they could claim they had good young players and that their failure later does not come from SA approach to rugby.

Other nations see their youth teams as a preparation for their senior team: the priority is not to win, the priority is to groom players that, once they mature, will perform well in the senior squad.

SA goes for the short term gain: they want to appear good because they win games during youth competitions.

Other nations go for the long term gain: they want their youth to learn how to play rugby so they can perform at senior level.

TH
TheTraditionalistPro4,003 posts
14 May 2018, 14:14
#8
14 May 2018, 14:14#8

Ah, yes, are those youth teams also submitted to the quota tale policy or are people allowed to see obvious things as obvious? Would be good to know.

BR
BrycyPro4,671 posts
26 May 2018, 08:57
#9
26 May 2018, 08:57#9

...notsoclevermike the headhunting SA forwards will have to be careful with the new tackling rules that are taking effect for the tournament...could be quite a few cards being awarded with the tackling height being lowered ..

CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
26 May 2018, 09:26
#10
26 May 2018, 09:26#10

 Sure - they should be aware of kung fu kicks as well - but then that is an NZ speciality in rugby 


DB
DbDraadCaptain26,388 posts
26 May 2018, 09:49
#11
26 May 2018, 09:49#11

Trad being his obnoxious self.

MO
MoonroverPro1,973 posts
28 May 2018, 23:16
#12
28 May 2018, 23:16#12

If the Junior Boks can keep their tackles under the nipple then they should do well.Plenty of more protection for the tackled these days and less for the tackler.

We have Georgia on Wednesday,then Ireland to beat and if OK then a quarter final against France in our pool.


— END OF THREAD —

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