On a brisk Friday at Durbanville High School, the South Africa U18 team treated their fans to a rugby masterclass, thrashing the French U18 squad 43-21. The local lads displayed a blend of brute force and balletic precision, running in six tries that left the visitors reeling and the stands roaring.
The South African forwards were nothing short of monstrous, turning the scrum into a launchpad for relentless assaults. Flanker Chinedu Amadi was the first to strike, bulldozing his way over the line following a formidable maul. Even when reduced to 14 men with prop Kai Pratt in the sin bin, the hosts’ defense stood tall, repelling wave after wave of French attacks. As soon as they were back to full strength, No. 8 Gert Kemp made it count with a try that had the crowd on its feet.
By halftime, the scoreline read 31-0, thanks in part to Amadi’s second maul masterpiece and a flawless kicking performance from flyhalf Liyema Nela. However, the French showed signs of life after the break with No. 8 Auguste Albuisson finally putting points on the board for his team.
"Our scrum was the key today, it gave us the upper hand and we just built on that momentum,"
reflected a beaming Nela, who couldn't miss from the tee.Despite the French resurgence, the SA U18 team, dubbed the 'Bomb Squad', quickly doused any flames of a comeback. Hooker Jacobus de Villiers and center Junaide Stuart added tries of their own, cementing the home team’s dominance. The visitors' lock Christian Mendes Tani did manage a brace, but it was too little too late.
In other matches, heartbreak struck for the SA U18 A team as they were edged out 36-33 by Ireland, thanks to a last-gasp penalty. Meanwhile, Georgia U18 claimed a narrow victory over England U18, 35-31, in a gripping encounter filled with youthful exuberance and raw talent.
The day's events left no doubt about the rich vein of form running through the South African rugby scene, promising exciting prospects for the future stars of the game.