Australia, New Zealand and South Africa all recored first-up wins in the World Rugby U20 Championships in South Africa.
The Junior Springboks started their 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship in commanding fashion at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday by beating Fiji 57-7 in their tournament opener. They led 31-0 at halftime.
The South Africans scored eight tries in a strong showing of their intent and bar some second half lapses in concentration and a yellow card to Jurenzo Julius, played with good commitment and purpose throughout.
They secured their four-try bonus-point in the first half and went on to score eight tries in total, while Fiji managed a solo try in the second half.
In his reaction, Junior Bok coach Bafana Nhleko said his team did well to secure a good win against a physical Fijian side, by doing the basics right.
“We took some time to get going in the opening minutes, did well to stick to our fundamentals and then get the job done,” said Nhleko.
“We will take the win, there's obviously work-ons, but we know it will get tougher with Argentina and England in our pool, who are two physical and well drilled teams on attack as well as at set piece.”
South Africa 57 [Tries: Finca, Moos, Leotlela, Bakkes, Mahashe, Damon, Julius 2; Pens: Koen; Cons: Koen 5, Sefoor 2] Fiji, 7 [Tries: Anare Caginavanua; Cons: Bogidrau Kikau]
South Africa: 15 Michail Damon, 14 Joel Leotlela, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Joshua Boulle, 11 Litelihle Bester, 10 Liam Koen, 9 Asad Moos, 8 Tiaan Jacobs, 7 Thabang Mphafi, 6 Sibabalwe Mahashe, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Bathobele Hlekani, 3 Zachary Porthen (captain), 2 Luca Bakkes, 1 Ruan Swart.
Replacements: 16 Juan Smal, 17 Liyema Ntshanga, 18 Casper Badenhorst, 19 Keanu Coetsee, 20 Divan Fuller, 21 Ezekiel Ngobeni, 22 Tylor Sefoor, 23 Likhona Finca.
Fiji: 15 Isikeli Basiyalo, 14 Waisake Salabiau, 13 Sivaniolo Kalaveti, 12 Ratu Isikeli Rabitu, 11 Avakuki Niusalelekitoga, 10 Bogidrau Kikau, 9 Aisea Nawai, 8 Simon Koroiyadi, 7 Ronald Sharma, 6 Ebernezer Tuidraki, 5 Nalani May (captain), 4 Iliesa Erenavula, 3 Breyton Legge, 2 Moses Armstrong-Ravula, 1 Anare Caginavanua.
Replacements: 16 Joshua Uluibau, 17 Mataiasi Tuisireli, 18 Luke Nasau, 19 Malakai Masi, 20 Ratu Nemani Kurucake, 21 Pauliasi Korobiau, 22 Ponipate Tuberi, 23 Joseva Ubitau.
New Zealand U20 have started their World Rugby Under 20 Championship campaign with a captivating 41-34 victory over a gritty Wales in Cape Town.
The six-time champions of the U20 tournament had a fast start – running in three tries through Dylan Pledger, Rico Simpson and a penalty try which saw Osain Thomas being yellow carded in the process.
Wales stayed in touch with scores by Huw Anderson and a penalty by Harry Wilde.
New Zealand scored in the 35th minute again through Xavi Taele but Wales struck back after the half-time hooter with a try by Louie Hennessey.
Taele scored his second of the match after half time to give New Zealand some breathing space and that lead got stretched further when Tai Cribb went over to give New Zealand a 23 point cushion after the conversion by Rico Simpson.
Wales struck back as Hennessey also scored his second of the match which Wilde converted but then almost immediately after the restart Morgan Morse got yellow carded for a tip tackle on Simpson.
The final nail in the coffin for Wales came when Xavier Tito-Harris made a break and passed to Lolofie and got it back to get the score that would seal the result for New Zealand.
Wales earned two valuable bonus points with debutant Steffan Emanuel and Page who dotted down in the dying moments of the match.
New Zealand 41 [Tries: Pledger, penalty try, Taele 2, Cribb, Tito-Harris; Cons: Simpson 3; Pens: Simpson 1] Wales 34 [Tries: Anderson, Hennessey 2, Emanuel, Page; Cons: Wilde, Ford 2; Pens: Wilde 1]
Wales: 15 Huw Anderson, 14 Harry Rees-Weldon, 13 Louie Hennessey, 12 Macs Page, 11 Aidan Boshoff, 10 Harri Wilde, 9 Ieuan Davies, 8 Morgan Morse, 7 Lucas de la Rua, 6 Ryan Woodman (captain), 5 Osian Thomas, 4 Jonny Green, 3 Sam Scott, 2 Isaac Young, 1 Josh Morse.
Replacement: 16 Harry Thomas, 17 Jordan Morris, 18 Kian Hire, 19 Nick Thomas, 20 Harry Beddall, 21 Lucca Setaro, 22 Harri Ford, 23 Steffan Emanuel.
New Zealand: 15 Sam Coles, 14 Frank Vaenuku, 13 Aki Tuivailala, 12 Xavi Taele, 11 Stanley Solomon, 10 Rico Simpson, 9 Dylan Pledger, 8 Johnny Lee, 7 Matt Lowe, 6 Tai Cribb, 5 Liam Jack, Tom Allen, 3 Josh Smith, 2 Vernon Bason, 1 Will Martin.
Replacements: 16 A-One Lolofie, 17 Sika Pole, 18 Logan Wallace, 19 Cameron Christie, 20 Jeremiah Avei-Collins, 21 Copper Grant, 22 Cooper Grant, 23 Xavier Tito-Harris.
In what was a tight affair at the Athlone Stadium, Australia U20 fought back to claim a hard-earned 35-11 win against Georgia.
Georgia drew first blood through flank Luca Suluashvili’s try. Flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips got Australia on the board with a penalty but then Australia suffered a hammer blow when lock Harvey Cordukes was red-carded for foul play in the 26th minute.
Flyhalf Luca Tsirekidze extended Georgia’s lead with a penalty which was cancelled out 10 minutes later just before half-time when Harry McLaughlin-Phillips responded with his own.
Georgia got the first points of the second half which would also be their last of the match through Tsirekidze – and then the floodgates opened.
Two tries by Staniforth with Leahy, Ieli, and McLeod also getting over the line saw Australia end up getting a convincing, but hard-fought victory in the end.
Australia 35 [Tries: McLeod, Ieli, Leahy, Staniforth 2; Cons: McLaughlin-Phillips 2; Pens: McLaughlin-Phillips 2] Georgia 11 [Tries: Suluashvili; Pens: Tsirekidze 2]
Australia: 15 Shane Wilcox, 14 Ronan Leahy, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 Jarrah McLeod, 11 Archie Saunders, 10 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 9 Dan Nelson, 8 Jack Harley, 7 Dane Sawers, 6 Aden Ekanayake, 5 Harvey Cordukes, 4 Toby Macpherson (captain), 3 Nick Bloomfield, 2 Bryn Edwards, 1 Jack Barrett.
Replacements: 16 Ottavio Tuipulotu, 17 Lington Ieli, 18 Tevita Alatini, 19 Eamon Doyle, 20 Ben Di Staso, 21 Hwi Sharples, 22 Joe Dillon, 23 Angus Staniforth.
Georgia: O Metreveli, 14 L Khorbaladze, 13 L Kobauri, 12 G Khaindrava, 11 T Burtikashvili, 10 L Tsirekidze, 9 G Spanderashvili, 8 N Lomidze (captain), 7 A Dvali, 6 L Suluashvili, 5 M Tskhadadze, 4 D Lagvilava, 3 D Mchedlidze, T Tchamiashvili, 1 L Ungiadze.
Replacements: 16 M Khakubia, 17 L Kotorashvili, 18 D Mchedlishvili, 19 T Tsulukidze, 20 T Ghaniashvili, 21 M Kachlavashvili, 22 L Takaishvili, 23 N Kevkhishvili.
Argentina Pumitas started like a house on fire at the Athlone Stadium and seemed to have the upper hand in the opening quarter of the match – which they justified when scrumhalf Genaro Podesta crashed over for the opening score in the 20th minute.
His try was followed up by flank Juan Penoucos 10 minutes later with both tries being converted by flyhalf Santino di Lucca to give them a 14-point lead.
England struck back when the star of the show- wing Jack Bracken went over for his first of three tries in the match in the 35th minute and fullback Ben Redshaw crashed over in the 39th minute.
Inside centre Sean Kerr converted both tries to have the match level at 14-all at half-time.
England picked up the tempo in the second stanza with tries by prop Billy Sela and flank Henry Pollock before Argentina lock Efrain Elias crashed over the line to stay in touch which was converted by replacement flyhalf Facundo Rodriguez.
England lock Junior K’Poku was yellow-carded for a cynical offence in the same passage of play that led to the Elias try.
Despite the yellow card, England went on to seal the deal when Jack Bracken scored two tries within two minutes of which one included a spectacular solo effort to earn England a solid 40-21 win.
England 40 [Tries: Bracken 3, Redshaw, Sela, Pollock; Cons: Kerr 5] Argentina 21 [Tries: Podesta, Penoucos, Elias; Cons: Di Lucca 2, Rodriguez]
England: 15 Ben Redshaw, 14 Jack Bracken, 13 Oli Spencer, 12 Sean Kerr, 11 Alex Wills, 10 Josh Bellamy, 9 Ollie Allan, 8 Nathan Michelow, 7 Henry Pollock, 6 Finn Carnduff (captain), 5 Junior Kpoku, 4 Joe Bailey, 3 Billy Sela, 2 Craig Wright, 1 Asher Opoku-Fordjour
Replacements: 16 James Isaacs, 17 Cameron Miell, 18 Afolabi Fasogbon, 19 Olamide Sodeke, 20 Kane James, 21 Lucas Friday, 22 Benjamin Coen, 23 Ioan Jones.
Argentina: 15 Benjamin Elizalde, 14 Timotea Silva, 13 Tomas Bocco, 12 Faustino Sanchez Valarolo, 11 Franco Rossetto, 10 Santino Di Lucca, 9 Genaro Podesta, 8 Juan Pedro Bernasconi, 7 Santos Fernansez de Oliveira, 6 Juan Penoucos, 5 Alvaro Garcia Iandolino, 4 Efrain Elias (captain), 3 Tomas Rapetti, 2 Juan Manuel Vivas, 1 Diego Correa.
Replacements: 16 Juan Greising Revol, 17 Joaquin Yakiche, 18 Gael Galvan, 19 Ignacio Torrado, 20 Agustin Sareelli, 21 Tomas Di Biase, 22 Facundo Rodriguez, 23 Gregorio Perez Pardo.
