Junior Boks overpower physical Georgia
WRAP: The Junior Springboks finished the inaugural Under-20 International Series in style with an impressive 57-14 victory over a physical Georgian side on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Paul Roos Gymnasium’s Markötter Stadium in Stellenbosch.
In the earlier clash, Fiji defeated Chile by 47-31 in a highly entertaining contest.
The Georgians were impressive earlier on in the tournament, beating both Fiji and Chile, but they struggled against the forward power and backline finesse of the South African Under-20s.
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With their pack yet again laying a strong foundation, especially in the scrums, the Junior Bok backs had the opportunity to express themselves, which they did, while the Georgians’ discipline let them down and allowed the hosts to dominate territory and possession.
If it wasn’t for a few unforced errors due to over-eagerness, the halftime score could have been bigger than 38-7, but the six first-half tries were good reward for the Junior Boks’ enterprising play.
Yaqeen Ahmed opened the scoring with typical slick footwork from an attacking line-out, and although Georgia levelled the scores at 7-7 six minutes later with a converted maul try, that was the last shot they fired.
Kebotile Maake scored twice from well-worked attacking lineout moves close to the Georgian tryline, and Luan Giliomee also bagged a first-half brace from good attacking backline moves.
Vusi Moyo, who converted four of the tries, also helped himself to a five-pointer from another great play by the backs.
Georgia started the second half much better and tested the South African defence by keeping ball in hand, while they also had the hosts under pressure in the scrums.
The visitors drew first blood when Luka Tabatadze crossed for a converted try on the right-hand side after a period of sustained pressure to push their score into double figures.
Four minutes later, Ahmed got his second, though when the Junior Boks went blind after another strong line-out maul.
Gert Kemp, playing on the field of his former high school, scored a superb try from a turnover deep in the South African half before Jack Benade, who was denied by a TMO call in the first half, grabbed his chance out on the right-hand side after another slick attack.
Ahmed converted both to push the Junior Boks’ lead out to 57-14, and although Georgia finished with a strong attack, not giving up, they were kept out by some resolute South African defence.
Scorers:
For the Junior Springboks:
Tries: Yaqeen Ahmed 2, Kebotile Maake 2, Luan Giliomee 2, Vusi Moyo, Gert Kemp, Jack Benade
Cons: Moyo 4, Ahmed 2
For Georgia U20:
Tries: Levani Ezieshvili, Luka Tabatadze
Cons: Mate Makharadze, Nikolozi Khalvashi
Junior Springboks: 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Jack Benade, 13 Samuel Badenhorst, 12 Yaqeen Ahmed, 11 Khuthadzo Rashivaga, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Hendre Schoeman, 8 Quintin Potgieter, 7 Luke Cannon, 6 Kebotile Maake, 5 Riley Norton (captain), 4 Heinrich Theron, 3 Danie Kruger, 2 Liam van Wyk, 1 Oliver Reid
Replacements: 16 Mahle Sithole, 17 Rambo Kubheka, 18 Luan van der Berg, 19 JD Hattingh, 20 Gert Kemp, 21 Jayden Brits, 22 Pieter van der Merwe, 23 Alzeadon Felix
Referee: Diogo Inácio
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: Quinton Immelman
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