SA U18 put down marker against French

WRAP: The South African Under-18 team kicked off the international series with a brilliant performance as they beat France by 43-21 at Durbanville High School in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs on Friday.

Up for grabs was a trophy named in remembrance of Medhi Narjissi, a member of France’s U18 squad in 2024, who was tragically swept out to sea during a recovery session at Cape Point last year.

The South African pack laid a brilliant platform with their strong scrum, which gave the backs space to launch wave after wave of direct attacks, tiring out the French defence.

But it wasn’t one-way traffic – after conceding an early maul try to Chinedu Amadi (flank), the visitors hit back and set up camp in the South African half, only to be kept out by great defence from the men in green and gold.

Even when Kai Pratt (prop) was sin-binned, the hosts managed to keep France at bay and when they finally made it back into the visitors’ half of the field, they struck immediately when Gert Kemp (No.8) crashed over to make it 14-0 after 25 minutes.

Amadi added his second try five minutes later, again from a lineout drive, and when Liyema Nela added a penalty goal to his first three conversions, it was 24-0 with four minutes left in the half.

That soon changed to 31-0 when SA U18 captain and centre Markus Muller crashed over, with Nela again on target with his fifth consecutive shot at goal, giving the hosts a big 31-0 lead at the break.

France came out of the changerooms recharged and three minutes into the half, Auguste Albuisson (No 8) scored a classic try off the back of an attacking scrum for their first points.

But the SA Bomb Squad that came on seven minutes later immediately delivered when Jacobus de Villiers was driven over from an attacking lineout that came from yet another scrum penalty against the visitors.

The French hit back with a good try by Christian Mendes Tani (lock) from a quick tap penalty, but the SA U18s added their sixth try when Junaide Stuart went over after they showed some patience on attack in the visitors’ 22.

With time running out, Mendes Tani scored his second try late in the game to make it 43-21, which gave the French some respite in a game in which they were put under immense pressure for most of the 70 minutes.

In the first game of the day, Ireland edged the SA U18 ‘A’ team by 36-33 after a penalty goal with a minute left on the clock, while a fired-up Georgia beat England by 35-31 in the second game.

Scorers:

SA U18
Tries: Chinedu Amadi 2, Gert Kemp, Markus Muller, Jacobus de Villiers, Junaide Stuart
Cons: Liyema Nela 4, Ruben Groenewald
Pen: Nela

France
Tries: Auguste Albuisson, Christian Mendes Tani 2
Cons: Timeo Gillouin-Lemaire, Valentin Bouju 2

* Earlier, an Irish penalty-goal at the death broke the hearts of the SA U18 ‘A’ team in the opening match, as the visitors clinched a nail-biting 36-33 victory.

It was a seesaw affair from the start, with each side scoring five tries, but in the end, two late penalty goals by Ireland replacement scrumhalf Connor McVicker sealed the deal for his team.

Both teams scored tries in the first 10 minutes, by Ireland hooker and captain Lee Fitzpatrick and SA loosehead prop Jeffrey Singo, both set up by forward dominance.

Ireland took a 12-7 lead with their second try 15 minutes in when Bernard White (centre) crashed over, but the South Africans started finding their rhythm, despite a few mistakes, with their set piece play setting the tone.

With the pressure mounting, Ireland lost Ben Guerin (prop) to the sin bin for repeated infringements close to their tryline, which opened the gap for the hosts to score three tries while they had the numerical advantage.

The SA U18 ‘A’ team took a 14-12 lead when Reinhart Viljoen (fullback) finished a slick move by the backline, and from the restart, they launched an attack down the left-hand touchline, with Viljoen putting Ncutu Kepe (wing) away for a try under the uprights.

Both conversions were successful and in to time, the South Africans took a 21-12 lead, but that soon changed to 26-12 when Viljoen scored his second try after taking a quick-tap penalty close to the Irish line.

Unfortunately for the hosts, they let the visitors in for a second maul try on the stroke of half-time, to make it 26-19 at the break.

Ireland scored first in the second half when Fitzpatrick was driven over for his second try, with McVicker’s conversion making it 26-26, but a few minutes later, the South Africans converted pressure into points when Lizwe Mthethwa (centre) crashed over, with Uithaler adding the extras to restore a seven-point lead for his team (33-26).

This lead only lasted a minute when White went over for his second try, setting up a tense finale. McVicker and Uithaler traded penalty goals in the last five minutes, before the Irish kicker sealed the deal with his second three-pointer.

Scorers:

SA U18 ‘A’
Tries: Jeffrey Singo, Reinhart Viljoen 2, Ncutu Kepe, Lizwe Mthethwa
Cons: Jeandre Uithaler 4
Pen: Uithaler

Ireland
Tries: Lee Fitzpatrick 2, Bernard White 2, Alex Lautsou
Cons: Luke Coffey 2, Connor McVicker 2
Pens: McVicker 2