The Junior Springboks scored six tries to keep their World Rugby Under 20 Championship semi-final hopes on track with a comprehensive win over hosts Georgia on Sunday.
Georgia 14 (7) South Africa 38 (19)
It was a much slicker performance from South Africa after their last gasp draw against France in their opening encounter‚ played in much better conditions than last Thursday.
Playing against the tournament hosts in front of a passionate crowd in Tbilisi was always going to test the team’s mental fortitude as much as their physical willingness‚ and the Junior Boks passed both examinations.
It was far from a flawless performance from SA‚ with the lineout malfunctioning at times‚ several lapses in defence and ill-discipline that saw replacement looseforward No 8 Zain Davids red-carded for head-butting.
Davids will face further sanctions for his reckless retaliation after provocation‚ but there was also a lot for coach Chean Roux to be pleased about.
The backline with Manie Libbok starting at flyhalf and a new centre combination in Damian Willemse and Wandisile Simelane looked slick on attack while they were effective in slowing down Georgian ball.
The Junior Boks are now top of Pool C on seven points after France beat Argentina 26-25 earlier in the day. Victory over Argentina on Thursday will be enough to automatically qualify for the last four.
After opening the scoring from a try by No 8 Juarno Augustus in the 17th minute‚ his third of the tournament‚ the Junior Boks were on the ropes for a long period. Georgia had a try disallowed after a superb last gasp tackle from Libbok on flank Ilia Spanderashvili.
The home team did level the scores when prop Lasha Tabidze drove over close to the line‚ but it was the last time Georgia were realistically in with a chance of winning.
A moment of genius from centre Simelane changed the course of match.
After an accurate contestable kick from scrumhalf Embrose Papier‚ Georgia were unable to control the ball and from the turnover Simelane took it at pace. He surged through a small gap and then produced a great sidestep to round the last defender to score.
That gave the Junior Boks a 14-7 lead at a time they were creaking under a fired up home team.
Almost from the restart fullback Jean-Luc Cilliers stabbed through a neat chip kick‚ which Libbok hacked ahead to score to quell Georgia’s enthusiasm.
After spending much of the first half sending one-off runners into contact‚ SA changed tactics late in the first half by using the boot more as an attacking weapon.
After the break wing Yaw Penxe increased the lead with a neatly taken try before Simelane scored his second that had its genesis almost on the SA tryline.
Interplay between wing Gianni Lombard and Willemse‚ with superb passing and handling‚ put Simelane away to stretch the lead to 24 points.
Georgia scored a second try through centre Giorgi Gogoladze before Libbok added his second of the day to seal a deserved and relieving win.
Scorers: Georgia – Tries: Lasha Tabidze‚ Giorgi Gogoladze. Conversions: Gela Aprazidze (2). SA – Tries: Juarno Augustus‚ Wandisile Simelane (2)‚ Manie Libbok (2)‚ Yaw Penxe. Conversions: Jean-Luc Cilliers (2)‚ Curwin Bosch (2). - TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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