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”.

The Junior Boks exerted pressure straight from the kickoff, 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 line-out, New Zealand came up with a clever trick play for Jayden Sa to touch down in the corner.

Time and space on the ball was rare as the teams cancelled each other 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 halftime.

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,

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 scrumhalf’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.

-World Rugby