Junior Springboks dominate Australia with 73-17 victory in World Rugby U20 Championship opener in Italy
It was a game built on absolute physical dominance by the pack of forwards and some excellent strike-running from the backline that laid the foundation for the 73-17 victory over the young Australians. It was sweet revenge for head coach Kevin Foote and his side against a team who beat them last month in Gqeberha during the U20 Rugby Championship.
South Africa dominated from the start and had already secured the four-try bonus point after 35 minutes in the match. They scored five of their tries in the first half with some great interplay between the forwards and backs. At the start of the second half, they continued on the same path and concluded the final forty with six tries – the last one right on the full-time whistle.
While the backline was full of running as they scored some brilliant tries, including the first one of scrumhalf Haashim Pead where they ran from almost on their own try line, the set pieces fired as well. They were excellent with their lineouts and rolling mauls, although some improvement will be needed in the scrums where they conceded some penalties.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
3 hours ago
- The Citizen
Five candidates who may take over from Jake White at Bulls
Four accomplished coaches or one dark horse could be tipped to take over from the departing Bulls coach. Even before Jake White's departure from the Bulls was confirmed on Friday, several names have been floated as potential successors at the Pretoria-based union. Though he was contracted until 2027, White and the Bulls mutually agreed to part ways after the head coach allegedly fell out of favour with several players and coaches. Edgar Rathbone, CEO of the Bulls, said, 'He did amazing work here and it was a privilege to work with him as he helped our team become a superpower again. He has given us a great platform to build upon with a talented crop of young players who are just finding their true offering.' In departure, White likened rugby to life, saying it is sometimes unfair. Still, he said it was an 'absolute honour' to be part of Bulls rugby history and wished the club well. The Bulls have reached three United Rugby Championship finals in four seasons. Who might help them finally win the trophy next season? Johan Ackermann Seemingly the favourite to replace White due to his strong relationship with Rathbone (who he worked with at the Lions) and president Willem Strauss, Johan Ackermann made a huge impact at the Joburg franchise, first as a forwards coach and then as head coach from 2013 to 2017. Under Ackermann, the Lions returned to top-flight competition and reached three straight Super Rugby finals. He also earned three South African Coach of the Year awards (2014-2016). He then spent three seasons at Gloucester and one at Red Hurricanes in Japan before taking up a consultancy role at the Junior Springboks. This latest contract (six months) began in January and was extended by one month to include the World Rugby U20 Championship. Time will tell if he will pursue more work with the Junior Springboks or join the Bulls when his contract is over. Johann van Graan Johann van Graan achieved greatness with Bath this season. The head coach claimed a treble: the EPCR Challenge Cup, English Premiership and Premiership Cup. He has a contract until 2030 but is believed to still harbour ambitions of coaching the Bulls and eventually the Springboks. Having reached the pinnacle of rugby in England, he may see the Bulls as his way back to South African rugby. Especially as he has been a Blue Bull all his life – first as a ball boy and later as a budding coach in his 20s, in the early 2000s. He featured in successful coaching teams headed by Heyneke Meyer and Frans Ludeke. He later joined Meyer's Bok staff between 2012 and 2015. His father was the late Barend van Graan, long-standing CEO of the Bulls. Franco Smith Former Cheetahs, Griquas and Springbok midfielder and flyhalf, Franco Smith, was loaned to the Bulls as a player for two seasons (1998 and 99) and in his first year became the leading South African scorer in the Super 12 before a knee injury sidelined him. Now a coach who guided Glasgow Warriors to the 2024/25 URC title, Smith is under contract until 2026. However, he is reportedly frustrated by budget constraints and foreign player rules in Scotland. He earned the URC Coach of the Season award for 2022/23 but could not follow up the success of his first two years in 2024/25. Glasgow Warriors were knocked out of the URC in the semi-finals, losing 37–19 to eventual champions Leinster. Jacques Nienaber The Bulls reportedly made offers to Jacques Nienaber when he was the defence coach for the Stormers and Western Province from 2008-2014. When he left, he instead went to Munster (2016/17) before joining the Springboks on a full-time basis after being involved with them since 2011. Nienaber left the Springbok setup after winning the 2023 Rugby World Cup as head coach, joining Leinster as their senior coach (under head coach Leo Cullen). In October last year, he said he was happy coaching at club level, preferring it over national duties. Nienaber is in demand for his expertise and may be eyeing a return to South Africa, where he does not have to play second-fiddle to Cullen, though Nienaber has been widely praised for his contribution to the Irish team. Chris Rossouw Chris Rossouw, who has served as an assistant coach at the Bulls since 2019, could appeal to the board as a continuity option or a short-term transitional figure until a more accomplished coach is found. After all, it was apparently Rossouw and another assistant coach, Andries Bekker, who spoke up for disgruntled players to the Bulls board before White and the Bulls parted ways. The board may not be rewarding rebellion so much as recognising the leadership Rossouw demonstrates, as well as the connection he has to players that White evidently did not possess, in appointing him. Rossouw has led an improvement in the Bulls' backline play that was nothing short of revolutionary — 92 tries during the 2023/24 URC season, the highest in a single campaign, and 85 more this year.
The Herald
9 hours ago
- The Herald
WP crowned unofficial U13 Craven Week champions in East London
Western Province finished as the top-seeded team to be crowned the champions of the 2025 edition of the U13 Craven Week at Selborne College in East London on Friday after they defeated Boland 21-7 in an unofficial final. This was WP's ninth time they ranked first in the competition after featuring in 13 of the last 14 U13 Craven Week finals. The contest for the number one seed between the sides was a repeat of two years ago, when WP won by a narrow 10-8. This time, converted tries from Francois Gouws, Theolin Edwards and Lihlombe Mabengu ensured they won comfortably over their provincial neighbours. Boland B exacted revenge for their main team beating WP B 23-14 in the unofficial Academy Week final. EP's main team finished seventh in the rankings after their two wins in four games. They beat Griquas 52-5 in the last game. Grey Junior centre Bulelani Norman, Jeffreys Bay lock Warren Grootboom, Woodridge No8 Aqhama Macembe all scored two tries with Kabega Primary's Musa Mdongwane and Gill College's Ruben Lotter the other scorers. Despite showing glimpses of good innovation in their play and forward dominance through the week, Border Central finished as the second-last ranked team in the Craven Week category. The Blue Bulls beat them 41-12 in their final match. Queen's Primary centre Luke Mpangele, who was among the top performing players for the team, scored a try, with the other five-pointer coming through Selborne Primary's Vuyo Foslara. Border Country Districts closed the tournament with the most points conceded in the week, a negative 212 difference, losing all four of their games. EP B finished fifth in the Academy Week standings, finishing with a 17-15 loss to the Golden Lion B team. Right behind EP were Border B, who beat Golden Lions C team 19-0. The 2026 U13 Craven will be held in Bloemfontein. Other results on Friday: Blue Bulls B 22 Pumas B 12, Griffons B 27 Zimbabwe 14, Free State B 38 Limpopo Blue Bulls B 0, Valke B 17 Leopards B 5, Griquas B 10 SWD B 29, Namibia 20 Sharks B 12, Sharks 33 Pumas 19, SWD 21 Free State 7. Daily Dispatch
The Star
10 hours ago
- The Star
Junior Springboks dominate Australia with 73-17 victory in World Rugby U20 Championship opener in Italy
The Junior Springboks racked up 11 tries against Australia to get their campaign in the World Rugby U20 Championship off to a powerful start in Calvisano, Italy. It was a game built on absolute physical dominance by the pack of forwards and some excellent strike-running from the backline that laid the foundation for the 73-17 victory over the young Australians. It was sweet revenge for head coach Kevin Foote and his side against a team who beat them last month in Gqeberha during the U20 Rugby Championship. South Africa dominated from the start and had already secured the four-try bonus point after 35 minutes in the match. They scored five of their tries in the first half with some great interplay between the forwards and backs. At the start of the second half, they continued on the same path and concluded the final forty with six tries – the last one right on the full-time whistle. While the backline was full of running as they scored some brilliant tries, including the first one of scrumhalf Haashim Pead where they ran from almost on their own try line, the set pieces fired as well. They were excellent with their lineouts and rolling mauls, although some improvement will be needed in the scrums where they conceded some penalties.
