On a warm and muggy Monday night in Viadana, the Junior Springboks proved they’ve got the grit to go all the way—but it wasn’t easy.
Facing off against a determined Argentina side at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, South Africa’s U20 team walked away with a 48–24 win and punched their ticket to the World Rugby U20 Championship final.
It was a fast-paced, six-try showcase for the Junior Boks, but despite the scoreboard, there’s still plenty for them to tighten up before Saturday’s showdown with New Zealand.
Early Spark Sets the Tone
The opening minutes felt like two heavyweights circling each other, waiting to land the first punch.
And then—bang!—the Junior Boks came alive.
Scrumhalf Haashim Pead took a quick tap after a scrum free-kick and slipped the ball to centre Albie Bester, who dotted down the first try of the night in just the 9th minute.
Flyhalf Vusi Moyo slotted the conversion, and the boys were rolling.
Barely had the crowd settled when Pead struck again, finishing off a sharp team move that started with flanker Batho Hlekani’s powerful run.
From there, Wandile Mlaba carried it forward before feeding Pead for his sixth try of the tournament.
Moyo’s boot made it 14–0, and the Junior Boks had landed a serious one-two combo.
Argentina Responds, But Boks Stay in Control
Argentina briefly stopped the bleeding with a penalty in the 14th minute, but the Boks weren’t done.
A clever chip from Moyo found open space, and winger Jaco Williams pounced on the bounce to score another.
Then came a textbook lineout drive that allowed lock JJ Theron to crash over the line.
With Moyo staying perfect off the tee, South Africa had surged to a 28–3 lead in under 25 minutes.
But as the heat and fatigue crept in, the Junior Boks’ discipline started to waver—something Argentina gladly capitalised on.
Pumitas Take Advantage of Ill-Discipline
Just before halftime, South Africa lost Simphiwe Ngobese to the sin bin for a professional foul.
Argentina wasted no time, scoring their first try through Agustín Garcia Campos off a rolling maul.
That made it 28–10 at the break—still a comfortable lead, but the momentum had shifted.
The second half started with Argentina once again pressing forward.
With the Boks trying to reset with fresh legs from the “Bomb Squad”—a five-man forward substitution—the Pumitas closed the gap with a try from winger Timoteo Silva.
Suddenly it was a tense 28–17 game with 30 minutes left.
South Africa Regroups and Turns Up the Heat
The tension didn’t last long. Moyo coolly added two penalties to rebuild the cushion, and then Albie Bester grabbed his second try, this time capitalising on a midfield turnover sparked by partner Demitre Erasmus.
That took the score to 41–17, and the Boks had breathing room again.
Argentina threw everything they had at the South Africans in the final 20 minutes.
While they did manage a third try through Ramon Fernandez Miranda, the Junior Boks’ defence held strong despite the heat and pressure.
Stunning Final Try Seals the Deal
The cherry on top came in the final moments, when winger Cheswill Jooste lit up the field with a dazzling run that started on South Africa’s own try line.
It was a brilliant end-to-end effort that reminded everyone just how dangerous this Junior Springboks side can be when they click.
It wrapped up a 48–24 win, securing the Junior Boks their first final appearance since 2014.
But they’ll know full well that they’ll need a cleaner, more disciplined performance if they’re going to take down New Zealand in the championship match this Saturday in Rovigo.
Looking Ahead to the Big Showdown
New Zealand punched their ticket to the final earlier with a 34–26 win over France.
Now, the rugby world is set for a heavyweight clash between the two southern hemisphere giants.
Can the Junior Boks cap off their Italian campaign with a trophy? We’ll find out Saturday.
Match Scorers
South Africa – 48
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Tries: Albie Bester (2), Haashim Pead, Jaco Williams, JJ Theron, Cheswill Jooste
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Conversions: Vusi Moyo (5), Dominic Malgas
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Penalties: Moyo (2)
Argentina – 24
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Tries: Agustín Garcia Campos, Timoteo Silva, Ramon Fernandez Miranda
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Conversions: Rafael Benedit (2), Pascal Senillosa
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Penalty: Benedit