Junior Boks have unstoppable try-scoring ‘Tank’ in their ranks

Bustling Junior Springbok centre Ethan “The Tank” Adams, who crashed over for two scintillating tries in South Africa’s opening victory against Argentina on Monday, has a long and bright future ahead of him, his coach Kevin Foote says.

Adams, who hails from Kareedouw in the Eastern Cape, was an unstoppable force when the Baby Boks downed Los Pumitas 48-21 in SA’s opening game of the U20 Rugby Championship tournament.

Every time the barnstorming centre got the ball in his hands, there was an expectant roar of excitement from the 11,000 crowd who cheered the Boks to victory at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Adams, who shone for Free State at the U18 Craven Week and was selected for the SA Schools team while at Grey College in Bloemfontein, has joined the Lions in Johannesburg.

Before linking up with the United Rugby Championship club, Adams was one of the most sought-after young players in South African rugby. Known for his ability to crash through defences, Adams has a low centre of gravity and massive legs, which make him difficult to tackle.

Coach Foote said Adams has a long and bright future ahead of him. “We see the talent in this country, and we often talk about how lucky the guys are coming through great schools and unions,” he said.

“Ethan went to Grey Bloem and he was well developed there, and now he is at the Lions. I do believe he has been born to play this game, and it is in all of our blood. South Africans love rugby, and we love playing this game. The job for all of us is not just about performance but about development.

“Ethan has a long future ahead of him, and we must make sure we keep him grounded. He is a really good guy and he is popular among the group, but he is still learning.

“Ethan is also coachable, which is a great skill factor.”

Adams terrorised the Los Pumitas defence at the start of the game, scoring tries in the second and 25th minutes as the Boks raced into a match-winning 36-0 halftime lead.

Captain Riley Norton said the Baby Boks may have to master strong, blustery winds which often swirl inside the bowl of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in their remaining games.

The Boks’ skills were tested by windy conditions in their first game at the four-team tournament.

This Junior Bok side has character, and we are a close team, and I think defence is all about that

—  Riley Norton, Junior Boks captain

Norton said if the Boks are confronted by similar conditions in their second game against Australia on Sunday (kickoff 4.10pm), they must ensure they execute fundamentals correctly and keep their eye on the ball.

“Luckily we came a week earlier to Gqeberha ahead of the tournament, so we had a week to train in the weather here,” he said.

“The Boks train at Pearson High School, which has unbelievable facilities. It is open [at Pearson], but the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium covers it [the wind]. The backline struggles with the swirl when it goes up in the air. Inside the stadium when we warmed up, it was not bad at all.

“This Junior Bok side has character and we are a close team, and I think defence is all about that. Even if you don’t have the greatest technique, this team always fights for the guy next to him and that is important.”

Remaining fixtures

Sunday:

• New Zealand v Argentina (2pm)
• Junior Boks v Australia (4.10pm)

May 9:

• Argentina v Australia (2pm)
• Junior Boks v New Zealand (4.10pm)

The Herald