Latest news with #Moyo
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Brilliant Junior Boks claim first U20 World title in 13 years
The Junior Springboks won the 2025 World Rugby U20 World Championship title with a 23-15 victory over New Zealand in Rovigo. South Africa's Under-20s were deservedly crowned world champions in northern Italy on Saturday night thanks to a gritty win over old rivals New Zealand in the final on a sweltering evening. It was the first time since 2012 that the Junior Boks have won the world title and only the second time in this format since it was inaugurated in 2008. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads As under-21s the Junior Boks won the 1999, 2002 and 2005 world championships (1999 was technically not a world title), but since becoming an U20 event, it was only the class of 2012 that were victorious – until Saturday. The class of 2025 now joins the likes of Handrè Pollard, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Steven Kitshoff from that 2012 crop as world champions. After laying waste to all their previous opponents in three pool-stage matches, and Argentina in the semifinals, the contest against the Baby Blacks was much closer. It was an uncompromising battle in the greatest traditions of clashes between these two archrivals and was a fitting finale to a tournament of high quality. This was not the same free-flowing performance of the pool stages that saw the Junior Boks score 178 points in three games against Australia, England and Scotland. It could never be against opponents as skilful and proud as New Zealand. The Junior Boks though, under the captaincy of lock Riley Norton and the coaching of Kevin Foote, are littered with generational talent that should strike fear into the rugby world. 'I'm quite emotional, but I'm just so proud,' Norton said after the match. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'The amount of work that we put in after not a great TRC (U20 Rugby Championship), our backs were against the wall and we just came out and gave it everything. 'The group is unbelievable, the management, the coaches – we all pulled into a common idea. It wasn't easy at times. This is the greatest day of my life. 'We had to show up physically. That's our DNA. That's where we South Africans get our passion and our energy from. The set-phase, the maul, the scrum, the hits – the guys did that for 80 minutes and that's where we get our DNA from. Of course (Vusi) Moyo with his unbelievable boot always putting us on the front foot and kicking those penalties, it's just unbelievable.' Control They were always in control at Stadio Mario Battaglini in Rovigo, from scoring early to adding the final flourish late in the game. The Junior Bok pack dominated scrums, were strong in contact and laid a good foundation for the excellent halfback duo of Haashim Pead and Moyo to operate. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads South Africa opened the scoring in the third minute when flank Xola Nyali went over for a try from close range. Moyo converted from wide out to give the Junior Boks the perfect start on a humid and slippery evening. From that stage on New Zealand were always playing catch-up and although they struck back with a try from lock Jayden Sa from a rolling maul just minutes later, it was as close as they came to the lead for the entire match. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads New Zealand also lost prop Sika Pole to the sin bin in the 22nd minute when he clattered into Junior Bok lock JJ Theron. It was later upgraded to red on review. At this tournament though, red cards are only 20 minutes and New Zealand were able to introduce a replacement soon after halftime. South Africa also had their own disciplinary issues. Ten minutes after Pole's card, Junior Bok centre Albie Bester was yellow-carded for a dangerous cleanout at a ruck. That evened things out as Moyo added two first-half penalties to give the Junior Boks a 13-5 halftime lead. There were two periods in either half when the Junior Boks were forced to defend their line for multiple phases. In fact, they were pinned in their 22m area for a full five minutes at the start of the second period as they repelled wave after wave of New Zealand attacks. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads In the end it only cost them three points from a second penalty by flyhalf Rico Simpson which shrunk the lead to 13-8. It was a moral victory for the Junior Boks. 'Defence is all about character, and there were moments when New Zealand were right on our line, but we held firm,' Foote said after the match. 'From a coach's perspective, you can't ask for more than that. It was a real South African defensive effort and gees (spirit) that won it for us today.' Foote, who took over as Junior Bok head coach at the end of last year, also described his winning squad as a special group of young rugby players. 'I love our country and the Springboks, and I love working with this age group,' he said. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'To see these young men grow from training in December to what they've achieved now is amazing. Being on this journey with them has been incredibly special, and I'll never take it for granted.' Soon after though, Moyo's superb boot landed a third penalty to keep the Baby Blacks two scores behind. That was significant. As the game wore on South Africa increasingly exerted control. Pead went over for a try but it was disallowed due to Junior Bok flank Batho Hlekani pulling New Zealand scrumhalf Dylan Pledger back, denying him the chance to make a tackle on Pead. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads Despite that let-off, the Junior Boks camped inside NZ territory for much of the last quarter and it was Pead who stamped his class on proceedings to finally break the Baby Blacks' resistance. Pead stabbed through a perfectly weighted kick for fullback Gilermo Mentoe to race on to and score the game-defining try with only three minutes remaining. The Junior Boks led 23-8. There was no way back. New Zealand scored a consolation try almost from the restart when impressive wing Maloni Kunawave finished, but it was too little, too late for the New Zealanders. Bigger picture Foote deserves special praise because he meticulously planned the team's progress to peak in Italy. It came at a cost though because the Junior Boks lost two of their three U20 Rugby Championship matches hosted in South Africa in May. One of those defeats was a 48-45 loss to New Zealand and the other was a 29-24 setback to Australia. In the opening game of this tournament, the Junior Boks smashed Australia 73-17. They played nine games in all before this tournament, which was crucial to building cohesion and for players to understand their roles. 'We learnt a lot about our leadership group in the U20 Rugby Championship,' Foote told Daily Maverick. 'We learnt about who can play Test match rugby. We learnt about different attacking styles that we haven't seen. 'For example, New Zealand 'stack-attacked' against us, and coming into this World Cup, Australia, England and Scotland all stacked, and we've defended well against that. 'That improvement comes from what we went through in the Rugby Championship. It has been a great learning process. 'But the biggest thing is actually just giving these guys game time together, and the synergy and cohesion that we got from those games is invaluable.' The introduction of the U20 Rugby Championship has been a significant building block, not only for the Junior Boks, but for all the southern hemisphere teams. New Zealand made their first final in six years, Argentina beat France to secure the bronze medal and Australia scored 68 points to claim fifth spot over England. DM Junior Bok results: Pool stage: South Africa 73 – 17 Australia (29 June – Calvisano) South Africa 32 – 22 England (4 July – Rovigo) South Africa 73 – 14 Scotland (9 July – Calvisano) Semifinal: South Africa 48 – 24 Argentina (14 July – Viadana) Final: South Africa 23 – 15 New Zealand (19 July – Rovigo) Final standings: South Africa (Champions) New Zealand (Runners-up) Argentina (Third place) France (Fourth place) Australia (Fifth place) England (Sixth place) Italy (Seventh place) Wales (Eighth place) Georgia (Ninth place) Scotland (10th place) Ireland (11th place) Spain (12th place).
The South African
3 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Junior Springboks united to conquer the world, says captain Norton
Captain Riley Norton led his Junior Springboks to a 23‑15 victory over New Zealand in the U20 World Championship final. The Junior Springboks became the third South African team to claim world champion status by outplaying New Zealand in the World Rugby U20 Championship Final in Rovigo on Saturday night. The Junior Springboks' tournament victory – their first since 2012 – came on a hot and humid night in Italy where they once again proved the masters of their southern hemisphere foes, beating the Kiwis for a seventh consecutive time in this tournament and the second time in a final, the same as in 2012, when the SA U20s outplayed NZ by 22-16. The SA U20s join the reigning Rugby World Cup champions, the Springboks, and the Blitzboks at the top of the World Rugby competition podium. Speaking to the media after the game, Norton emphasised the team's combined work-rate and unity as the core drivers of their success in Rovigo. 'I'm quite emotional, but I'm just so proud,' said the Paul Roos old boy. 'The amount of work that we put in after not a great TRC, our backs were against the wall and we just came out and gave it everything. 'The group is unbelievable, the management, the coaches – we all pulled into a common idea. It wasn't easy at times, but ja, this is the greatest day of my life.' Norton highlighted traditional South African strengths – physicality in scrums, mauls, and defensive intensity – as decisive. He explained that 'our DNA' carried the game, sustaining energy and aggression for the full 80 minutes. 'We had to show up physically. That's our DNA. That's where we South Africans get our passion and our energy from. The set-phase, the maul, the scrum, the hits – the guys did that for 80 minutes and that's where we get our DNA from.' He lauded Junior Springboks flyhalf Vusi Moyo for his key penalties, saying Moyo's goal-kicking kept them ahead. Of course (Vusi) Moyo with his unbelievable boot always putting us on the front foot and kicking those penalties, it's just unbelievable.' Norton revealed the Junior Springboks' appreciation for fan support from home, citing messages, videos, and encouragement as vital inspirations. Asked whether the Junior Springboks felt any pressure being the top seed coming into the tournament, Norton said there were nerves but never really pressure. 'The amount of support we received from South Africa, videos from our mates, people sending us messages and just backing us was just unbelievable. I'm so proud to be South African and we couldn't have done it without our fans back at home cheering us on every step of the way.' Junior Springboks 23 (13) – Tries: Xola Nyali, Gilermo Mentoe. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (2). Penalty goals: Moyo (3). New Zealand 15 (5) – Tries: Jayden Sa, Maloni Kunawave. Conversion: Will Cole. Penalty goal: Rico Simpson. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Junior Boks, champions of the world
Saturday marked the Junior Boks' first appearance in the final since 2014 and it is a repeat of the 2012 final in which South Africa beat six-time champions New Zealand at Newlands. Demitre Erasmus of South Africa in action during the Final of the U20 World Championship between New Zealand and South Africa at Stadio Mario Battaglini on July 19, 2025 in Rovigo, Italy. Picture:. The Junior Springboks have won the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Rovigo, Italy after a tense, bruising battle with arch-rivals New Zealand. Tries from flanker Xola Nyali and fullback Gilermo Mentoe, along with 13 points from the boot of flyhalf Vusi Moyo, secured the Junior Boks a 23-15 win and a first Under 20 Championship triumph since 2012. The Junior Boks opened the scoring in just the third minute through Nyali. The Baby Blacks hit back with a try of their own 12 minutes later, courtesy of lock Jayden Sa. The clash had a real final feel, with the South Africans not wasting an opportunity to take the points on offer. Moyo popped over two penalties to ensure South Africa went into the sheds with a 13-5 lead. Both teams had a player sent off in the first half. New Zealand lost loosehead prop Sika Pole to a 20-minute red card for a shoulder charge on JJ Theron, while the Junior Boks had to go without centre Albie Bester for ten minutes after a no-arms clear out at the ruck. Tight contest The second half was equally tight, with flyhalves Rico Simpson and Moyo exchanging penalties. A crucial moment in the match came in the 62nd minute, when tournament top try-scorer Haashim Pead was denied a seventh of the championship after the TMO ruled an infringement at the scrum enabled Pead to score. Mentoe's late try was followed almost immediately by the Junior All Blacks' first and only try by wing Maloni Kunawave. But it proved too little, too late as South Africa held on to take the honours in Italy. Saturday marked the Junior Boks' first appearance in the final since 2014 and it is a repeat of the 2012 final in which South Africa beat six-time champions New Zealand at Newlands. The Junior Boks were in rampant form throughout the championship in Italy, posting comprehensive wins over Australia, defending champions England and Scotland in the pool stage, followed by victory over Argentina in the semi-finals. This story was first published on It is republished here with permission.
The South African
3 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Junior Springboks join seniors as world champions
The Junior Springboks became the third South African team to claim world champion status by outplaying New Zealand 23-15 in the World Rugby U20 Championship Final in Rovigo on Saturday night. The SA U20s join the reigning Rugby World Cup champions, the Springboks, and the Blitzboks at the top of the World Rugby competition podium. The Junior Springboks' tournament victory – their first since 2012 – came on a hot and humid night in Italy where they once again proved the masters of their southern hemisphere foes, beating the Kiwis for a seventh consecutive time in this tournament and the second time in a final, the same as in 2012, when the SA U20s outplayed NZ by 22-16. The class of 2025 won the final on the back of good defence, good discipline and scoring the crucial points when it mattered. They were leading 13-5 at the break and never took their foot off the pedal against a New Zealand team that fought until the end, but to no avail. The Junior Boks started in the best way possible with an early maul try by flanker Xola Nyali, converted by the trusted boot of Vusi Moyo and the 7-0 lead was good early value for money. New Zealand focussed on a stack attack early on, something that worked well for them in their previous encounter against South Africa, by this time around, the Junior Boks' defence held out. A good cover tackle kept New Zealand from scoring from such an attack, but they could not keep out the team in black from a resulting lineout when lock Jayden Sa scored. New Zealand outfoxed their foes in the lineout and Sa come around the front to score and cut the lead to two points. Vusi Moyo extended the lead to 10-5 soon after with a penalty goal and then New Zealand's prop Sika Pole was sent to the sin bin, with his high tackle upgraded to a 20 minute red card. The Junior Boks pressed hard to make the numerical advantage count, but Moyo missed a drop goal as South Africa looked to confirm their upper hand in general play. An injury to Nyali resulted in him being replaced by Stephanus Linde, but the pressure remained on New Zealand, who were guilty of forcing play to combat their absent defender. SA U20 centre Albe Bester was yellow carded for a dangerous ruck entry, but Moyo kicked another penalty when the Junior Blacks strayed offside to push the lead to 13-5 at the break. New Zealand started strongly in the second half, taking the ball through numerous phases and earned a penalty for their efforts. Flyhalf Rico Simpson kicked the points to cut SA's lead to 13-8 after 47 minutes. Moyo cancelled that out with another penalty goal that pushed the lead to 16-8. The Junior Boks were starting to dominate and a try by Haashim Pead seemed to seal the deal, but it was disallowed by the TMO. Moyo then missed a penalty attempt as well, but the South Africans were in control as the championship minutes came into play. They were held up over the tryline and were dominating play, but with no scoreboard reflection. That changed three minutes from full-time though when Pead chipped to the corner, into the waiting arms of fullback Gilermo Mentoe. At 23-8 it was game over and although New Zealand scored a minute later, the win was secured and the bogey finally buried. Junior Springboks 23 (13) – Tries: Xola Nyali, Gilermo Mentoe. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (2). Penalty goals: Moyo (3). New Zealand 15 (5) – Tries: Jayden Sa, Maloni Kunawave. Conversion: Will Cole. Penalty goal: Rico Simpson. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Junior Boks end 13-year wait for World Rugby U20 Championship title
South Africa are the World Rugby U20 Championship winners for the first time since 2012 after deservedly beating New Zealand 23-15 in Rovigo, with Junior Springboks captain Riley Norton calling it 'the greatest day of my life.' Junior Boks exerted pressure straight from the kick-off, forcing New Zealand to kick the ball out in their own 22. Having been so impressive during their tournament with their incisive back play, this time the Junior Boks proved they could play more directly too, Xola Nyali scoring the game's first try from a driving maul. They then produced an incredible defensive set to keep out New Zealand phase after phase. But South Africa were eventually penalised and from the resulting lineout, New Zealand came up with a clever trick play for Jayden Sa to touch down in the corner. Look at the scenes at full-time 🤩 The Junior Boks end their 13-year wait to win the #WorldRugbyU20s title 🇿🇦🏆 #SSRugby — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 19, 2025 Time and space on the ball was rare as the teams cancelled each defensively, combining impressive speed with dominant tackling. South Africa edged further ahead with a Vusi Moyo penalty, but they couldn't capitalise when New Zealand lost Mosese Bason to a yellow card, upgraded to a 20-minute red. After Moyo made it 13-5 from the kicking tee, South Africa lost Albertus Bester to a yellow card of their own to even up the numbers and leave the game still in the balance at half-time. It was New Zealand who started the second half on the front foot, but they had to make do with three points from a Rico Simpson penalty after more heroic South Africa defence. The gap was down to five points, a one-score game. As the tension rose, errors from both teams began to creep in. But South Africa were beginning to gain dominance in the scrum. Another penalty from Moyo made it 16-8 as the final quarter approached, The Junior Boks get their try ⚡ Haashim Pead spots the space and Jaco Williams finishes it off 💪💪 #SSRugby | #WorldRugbyU20s — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 19, 2025 From the next dominant scrum, Hassiem Pead appeared to have scored the decisive try, only for the referee to rule it out. Another scrum, another South Africa penalty – but this time Voyo pulled his kick wide, his first miss of the night. With New Zealand losing a second player to the sin bin, South Africa began to turn the screw in open play too. It was fitting that the decisive try was made by a moment of genius from Pead – arguably the player of the tournament. The scrum-half's inch-perfect kick ahead was touched down in the corner by Gilermo Mentoe. This time, Voyo made no mistake with his kick, the conversion taking the lead out to more than two scores. There was still time for New Zealand to grab a consolation try through Maloni Kunawave but their wait for a first U20 title since 2014 will go on for at least another year.
