The South African Under-20 rugby team obliterated Fiji 104-17 in their battle for fifth place at the Junior World Championship in Treviso, Italy on Sunday.
The Baby Boks scored 16 tries which included a penalty try to Fiji’s two.
Captain Arno Botha ran in a hat-trick of tries while winger Tshotsho Mbovane, centre Jaco Taute and scrumhalf Pieter Rademan each scored a brace of five-pointers.
The other try scorers for the South Africans were flanker Nizaam Carr, winger Wandile Mjekevu, centre Francois Venter and replacements Francois Kleinhans, Paul Jordaan and Courtnall Skosan.
Flyhalf Johan Goosen kicked 12 conversions and ended the tournament on a total of 79 points.
SA U-20 coach Dawie Theron said he believed the team was much better than their fifth-place finish might suggest.
“This performance, with the match against Ireland illustrates what this team was capable of doing all along,” he said.
“Our recent efforts shows that if it were not for lapses in concentration during periods of this world champs, we could have gone a lot further.” Theron hailed his charges for showing what they were capable of doing.
“Compliments to the players for standing up and showing South Africa what they are made of,” said Theron.
“We are a proud country and a proud rugby nation.
“We know what we capable of, and the players simply expressed themselves on the field today.”
He said the format of the championship was of such a nature that teams could not afford to make mistakes at any stage of the competition.
“The margin of error in this tournament is extremely small, and I still believe that we are much better than where we ended in the tournament.”
Scorers
SA U-20: Tries: Arno Botha (3), Tshotsho Mbovane (2), Jaco Taute (2), Pieter Rademan (2), Nizaam Carr, Wandile Mjekevu, Francois Venter, Francois Kleinhans, Paul Jordaan, Courtnall Skosan, Penalty Try. Conversions: Johan Goosen (12).
Fiji U-20: Tries: Eliki Sicinilwaw, Semi Radradra. Conversions: Josateki Lalagavesi. Penalty: Lalagavesi.
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