Junior Boks survive Wales scare to book JWC semifinal spot

MATCH REPORT: The Junior Springboks fought back from an early 14-point deficit to emerge victorious and book their place in the Junior World Championship semifinals with a 52-33 victory against a spirited Wales Under-20 side.

Wales, to their credit, brought the fight to the defending champions, but South Africa kept their composure to emerge victorious comfortably in the end.

The Junior Boks will face England, and New Zealand will battle France in the respective semifinals on Monday, July 13.

*To recap all the action, CLICK HERE!

Wales won an early breakdown penalty for holding on and opted for the line-out drive. They drew first blood through Caio James’s try, who won the initial turnover. Carwyn Leggatt Jones added the extras for the full seven.

The Junior Boks couldn’t get their ascendancy up front, conceding a free kick followed by a penalty for pushing early, gifting Wales another 22 entry that set Steffan Emanuel to score from set-piece. Leggat Jones made it 14-0 after 10 minutes.

South Africa hit back following a powerful scrum through Hendre Schoeman, who dotted down under the uprights. Yaqeen Ahmed made it a seven-point game following the conversion.

Ethan Adams, against the run of play, finished a stunner following a Wales knock-on, chipping the ball ahead for Ahmed, who got the pass back to his centre to go over the line. Ahmed levelled the scores after 17 minutes.

The Junior Boks took the lead for the first time through a rolling maul try as captain Siphosethu Mnebelele crossed the whitewash after being denied moments earlier. Ahmed’s conversion attempt struck the left-hand upright.

Wales went down to 14 players with Jack Pritchard sent to the sinbin after an earlier team warning for being repeatedly offside at the maul in the 30th minute.

The Junior Boks scored the fourth and bonus-point try by means of a rolling maul through Heinrich Theron after Wales conceded back-to-back penalties to gift the defending champions free land. Ahmed slotted the conversion attempt to make it a 12-point game two minutes short of halftime.

Wales won a penalty for a high tackle and opted for the line-out 10 metres from the Junior Boks’ line, but Theron stole the ball as Schoeman kicked it into touch to head for oranges.

Continues below…

From a counterattack, the Junior Boks showed slick hands three minutes into the second half to score their fifth through Risima Khosa. Ahmed nailed the conversion.

Cheswill Jooste got his marching orders for 10 minutes in the sinbin for a deliberate knock-on in the 46th minute.

Wales were denied a try following a knock-on moments later, but were on penalty advantage in the Junior Boks’ red zone, and scored at the second bite of the cherry through Oasin Lewis on the 49-minute mark. Leggatt Jones added the extras.

The defending U20 champions responded immediately through a rolling maul try by replacement Liam van Wyk. Ahmed’s conversion was unsuccessful.

The see-saw battle continued as Tom Bowen broke the line to get one back for Wales. The conversion was missed.

The Junior Boks gave themselves some extra breathing room with a rolling maul try as Van Wyk grabbed a brace in the 61st minute. Ahmed made it a 19-point game following the conversion.

Mnebelele, after returning to the pitch, put the final nail in Wales’ coffin with a brace of his own in the 67th minute to bring up the half century, as Ahmed added the extras.

Mnebelele received a late yellow card in the 76th minute for a dangerous clean-out.

Wales gave it one more shot and opted for a five-metre scrum in South Africa’s red zone after earning a penalty for offside, which was uncontested due to Mnebelele’s yellow card and Van Wyk going off injured earlier.

Wales got the reward as they went wide immediately to Lewis Edwards, who cruised in for a consolation score. Lloyd Lucas added the extras.

*See all the results, scores and scorers below!

South Africa 52-33 Wales

Scorers:

For South Africa:
Tries: Schoeman, Adams, Mnebelele 2, Theron, Khosa, Van Wyk 2
Cons: Ahmed 6

For Wales:
Tries: C.James, Emanuel, Lewis, Bowen, Edwards
Cons: Leggatt Jones 3, Lucas

Yellow cards: Jack Pritchard (Wales’ 30 – Repeated infringements: offside at the maul), Cheswill Jooste (South Africa, 46′ – Cynical foul: deliberate knock-on), Siphosethu Mnebelele (South Africa, 76′ Dangerous play – illegal clean-out)

Teams:

South Africa U20: 15 Alzeadon Felix, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Samuel Badenhorst, 12 Ethan Adams, 11 Khuthadzo Rasivhaga, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Hendré Schoeman, 8 Vuyo Gwiji, 7 Luke Cannon, 6 Risima Khosa, 5 JD Hattingh, 4 Heinrich Theron, 3 Danie Kruger, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele (captain), 1 Oliver Reid.
Replacements: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Rambo Kubheka, 18 Luan van der Berg, 19 Jaythen Orange, 20 Gert Kemp, 21 Jayden Brits, 22 Markus Müller, 23 Jordan Steenkamp.

Wales U20: 15 Lewis Edwards, 14 Rhys Cummings, 13 Osian Lewis, 12 Steffan Emanuel, 11 Tom Bowen, 10 Carwyn Leggatt Jones, 9 Sion James, 8 Evan Minto, 7 Caio James, 6 Deian Gwynne (captain), 5 Tom Cottle, 4 Will Evans, 3 Jack Pritchard, 2 Tom Howe, 1 George Tuckley
Replacements: 16 Oscar Thomas, 17 Dylan James, 18 Eystyn Cook, 19 Luke Evans, 20 Osian Justin Williams, 21 Alex Ridgway, 22 Cai Gealy, 23 Lloyd Lucas.

Referee: Reuben Keane (Australia)
Assistant referees: Luke Rogan (USA), Soso Japaridze (Georgia)
TMO: Francisco Gonzalez (Uruguay)

Ireland 73-22 USA

Scorers:

For Ireland:
Tries: Barrett, O’Shea 3, Walsh 3, Carney, Cooper, Ryan, Deegan
Cons: Green 9

For USA:
Tries: Love, Sarkees, Keesler-Venables
Cons: Firebrace 2
Pen: Cadden

Red card: Charlie Molony (Ireland, 62′)

Teams:

Ireland U20: 15 Daniel Green, 14 Charlie Molony, 13 Robert Carney, 12 Sean David Walsh, 11 Johnny O’Sullivan, 10 Charlie O’Shea, 9 Christopher Barrett, 8 Alex Lautsou, 7 Ben Blaney (captain), 6 Charlie Keane, 5 Joe Finn, 4 Sean Walsh, 3 Blake McClean, 2 Duinn Maguire, 1 Adam Cooper
Replacements: 16 Luke McLaughlin, 17 Max Doyle, 18 Jamie Conway, 19 Paddy Woods, 20 Diarmaid O’Connell, 21 Luke Coffey, 22 Jack Deegan, 23 Daniel Ryan

USA U20: 15 Blake Miller, 14 Sialeafuhia Ofa, 13 William Darbishire, 12 Leo Keesler-Venables, 11 Finnian Love, 10 Declan Cadden, 9 Joseph Sarkees, 8 Frank Finicle, 7 Yiannis Efthymiopoulos, 6 Liam Hill, 5 Tanielu Talaepa, 4 Lyndon Bailey, 3 Tyler Trower, 2 Aiden Stewart, 1 Colin Donnelly
Replacements: 16 Salesi Kafovalu, 17 Sawyer Troupe, 18 Quan Nguyen, 19 Pierce Kelly, 20 Harrison Cluff, 21 Spencer Huntley, 22 Dane Mitchell, 23 Jack Firebrace

Referee: George Selwood (England)
Assistant referees: Shota Tevzadze (Georgia), Mariam Goguadze (Georgia)
TMO: Francisco Gonzalez (Uruguay)

New Zealand 45-15 Italy

Scorers:

For New Zealand:
Tries: Tocker, Lewai, Findlay, Sinton, Etuale, Norrie, Pahulu
Cons: Norrie 2, Williams 3

For Italy:
Tries: Falchetto, Opoku-Gyamfi, Luisato

Yellow card: Simone Fardin (Italy, 8′)

Teams:

New Zealand U20: 15 Cohen Norrie, 14 Ollie Guerin, 13 David Lewai, 12 Siale Pahulu, 11 Logan Williams, 10 Mika Muliaina, 9 Charlie Sinton (captain), 8 Patrick Mauga, 7 Caleb Woodley, 6 Bradley Tocker, 5 Jake Frost, 4 Max Fale, 3 Ethan Webber, 2 Josh Findlay, 1 Henry Stuart
Replacements: 16 Xavier Leota, 17 James Moore, 18 Dale Johnston, 19 Finn McLeod, 20 Micah Fale, 21 Boston Krone, 22 Lautasi Etuale, 23 Kobe Brownlee

Italy U20: 15 Pietro Celi, 14 Luca De Novellis, 13 Giacomo Falchetto, 12 Riccardo Casarin (captain), 11 David Luisato, 10 Roberto Fasti, 9 Mattia Andretti, 8 Enoch Opoku Gyamfi, 7 Jaheim Noel Wilson, 6 Carlo Antonio Bianchi, 5 Marco Spreafichi, 4 Simone Fardin, 3 Luca Trevisan, 2 Ettore Dinarte Patricio, 1 Christian Brasini
Replacements: 16 Valerio Pelli, 17 Emiliano Mastropasqua, 18 Erik Meroi, 19 Christian Germano, 20 Antony Italo Miranda, 21 Davide Sette, 22 Nikolaj Varotto, 23 Edoardo Vitale

Referee: Kevin Bralley (France)
Assistant referees: Morgan White (Hong Kong China), Sulkhan Chikhladze (Georgia)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Portugal)

Argentina 38-40 England

Scorers:

For Argentina:
Tries: Dande, Cuneo Camargo, Lescano 2, Pfister 2
Cons: Serpa 2, Giannantonio 2

For England:
Tries: Knight, Pater, Staples, Ainsworth-Cave 2, Pater
Cons: Shields 5

Red card: Benjamin Ordiz Yujnovsky (Argentina, 15′)
Yellow cards: Bautista Benavides (Argentina, 49′), Elliot Williams (England, 68′), Will Knight (England, 71′)

Teams:

Argentina U20: 15 Simon Pfister, 14 Bautista Lescano, 13 Pedro Coll, 12 Benjamin Ordiz Yujnovsky, 11 Luciano Avaca, 10 Federico Serpa Laporte, 9 Juan Preumayr, 8 Federico Torre, 7 Jeronimo Sorondo, 6 Tomas Dande (captain), 5 Bautista Benavides, 4 Joaquin Pascual Viale, 3 Bautista Salinas Mallea, 2 Manuel Cueno Camargo, 1 Benjamin Farias Cerioni
Replacements: 16 Nicolas Cambiasso, 17 Fabrizio Cebron, 18 Federico Narvaez, 19 Felipe Hygonenq, 20 Basilio Canas, 21 Valentino Reggiardo, 22 Manuel Giannantonio, 23 Ramon Fernandez

England U20: 15 James Pater, 14 Tylor Offiah, 13 Nick Lilley, 12 Will Knight, 11 Sam Winters, 10 Hugh Shields, 9 Lucas Friday, 8 Connor Treacey (captain), 7 Seb Kelly, 6 Tate Williams, 5 Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, 4 Elliot Williams, 3 Ollie Streeter, 2 Jimmy Staples, 1 Oliver Scola
Replacements: 16 Jerold Gorleku, 17 Oliver Spencer, 18 Sonny Tonga’uiha, 19 Patrick Hogg, 20 George Marsh, 21 Jonny Weimann, 22 Finn Keylock, 23 George Pearson

Referee: Christopher Allison (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Ruairidh Campbell (Scotland), Shota Tevzadze (Georgia)
TMO: Matt Rodden (Hong Kong China)

Scotland 43-32 Japan

Scorers:

For Scotland:
Tries: Fick, Kelly, Blyth-Lafferty, Roberts, McAughtrie, Bryden, Dalziel
Cons: Dalziel 4

For Japan:
Tries: Tsumura, Miura, Uchida, Fukada
Cons: Kobayashi 3
Pens: Kobayashi 2

France 34-29 Australia

Scorers:

For France:
Tries: Andjisseramatchi 2, Rates, Garault, Tilloles
Cons: Keletaona 2, Jurd
Pen: Keletaona

For Australia:
Tries: Pritchard, Cleverley, Charlie, Langi
Cons: Mackay 3
Con: Bird