Junior Boks thrash Chile in U20 International Series opener
WRAP: Lindsey Jansen and Risima Khosa scored hat-tricks, and Vusi Moyo kicked 22 points as the Junior Springboks showed their class with an emphatic 97-0 victory over Chile in their Under-20 International Series opener at Rondebosch Boys’ High School in Cape Town on Thursday afternoon.
In what amounted to a one-sided affair, the South Africans put their best attacking foot forward as they ripped through their opponents’ defence, scoring 15 tries that had the strong crowd in awe more often than not, with the odd mistake ensuring the Junior Boks will have something to work on in the coming days.
Although there were times when Chile got their hands on the ball to test the Junior Boks’ defence, that didn’t happen nearly enough, with turnovers often resulting in strong counter-attacks from the hosts.
Dominant in all phases across the park, the Junior Boks scored eight tries before the break, with Jansen contributing three as the South Americans, despite playing with a breeze in their backs, simply had no answer for the array of attacking options exhibited by the hosts.
Continues below…
The SA U20s’ attacking intent was on display from the start, with Jayden Brits’ opening try in the fourth minute coming from a quick-tap penalty taken in their own 22, with the scrumhalf racing clear after good exploitation by space and quick hands by his outside backs.
Luan van der Berg and Gert Kemp also added their names to the score sheet, and more was to follow in the second half, although the Chileans also deserve credit for never backing down.
Khosa, who led the Junior Boks in this match, completed his hat-trick with a signature maul try as the replacements came on for some valuable game time.
Pieter van der Merwe, Kai Pratt, and Altus Rabe also scored in the third quarter to hand the hosts an 80-0 lead with 20 minutes to go, but then things got a bit loose.
Rabe added his second try, also from a strong line-out drive, with 12 minutes to go and a few minutes later, Quintin Potgieter scored from the back of a strong scrum in which the Junior Boks literally shoved their opponents off the ball, to bring up 90.
Potgieter got his second on the stroke of fulltime, from a deft little stab into space by Moyo, who landed his 11th conversion, to seal the emphatic win for the Junior Boks.
In the opening game of their U20 International Series at the same venue earlier on Thursday, Georgia beat Fiji by 29-23. The Junior Boks face Fiji on Tuesday, while Chile and Georgia will face off, with both games at Wynberg Boys’ High School.
Scorers
For the Junior Springboks:
Tries: Jayden Brits, Risima Khosa 3, Lindsey Jansen 3, Luan van der Berg, Gert Kemp, Pieter van der Merwe, Kai Pratt, Altus Rabe 2, Quintin Potgieter 2
Cons: Vusi Moyo 11
South Africa U20: 15 Alzeadon Felix, 14 Jade Muller, 13 Olunje Mehlomakulu, 12 Pieter van der Merwe, 11 Lindsey Jansen, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Jayden Brits, 8 Vuyo Gwiji, 7 Gert Kemp, 6 Risima Khosa (captain), 5 JD Hattingh, 4 Jaythen Orange, 3 Luan van der Berg, 2 Mahle Sithole, 1 Jordan Jooste.
Replacements: 16 Altus Rabe, 17 Kai Pratt, 18 Bongani Dlamini, 19 Thomas Beling, 20 Quintin Potgieter, 21 Jandrian Goosen, 22 Junaide Stuart, 23 Akhahluwa Boqwana.
Referee: Diogo Inácio
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: Egon Seconds
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