Baby Boks to face Baby Blacks in semi

Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa were all confirmed as semifinalists at the culmination of the third round of pool matches at the IRB Junior World Championship.

The Baby Boks will take on arch rivals the Baby Blacks in their semifinal clash on Thursday, while last year’s runners up England face off against Australia in the other much anticipated semifinal.

Rugby365.com brings you the wrap from the final round of pool matches.

Pool C: South Africa 35-42 Australia

Australia edged past South Africa 42-35 in an enthralling end to end affair at the Estadio CA Colon in Santa Fe on Sunday to finish top of Pool C, although both sides will progress to the IRB Junior World Championship semifinals with the Baby Boks as the best runners up.

Both sides will now relocate to Rosario for the remainder of the tournament, with South Africa to face two-time defending champions New Zealand in one semifinal while Australia tackle England in the other on Thursday, June 17.

The scorers

For South Africa:

Tries: Wandile Mjekevu 2, Jaco Taute, Patrick Lambie, Marcel van der Merwe
Cons: Lambie 2
Pen: Lambie

For Australia:

Tries: Dominic Shipperley 3, Edward Quirk, Robbie Coleman
Cons: Matt Toomua 4
Pens: Toomua 3

Pool C: Scotland 27-3 Tonga

Scotland bounced back from a heavy loss to South Africa to beat Tonga 27-3 in their Pool C encounter at the Club Atlético Estudiantes in Paraná, recording their first win of the IRB Junior World Championship 2010 in the process.

Scorers

For Scotland:

Tries: Jonny Kennedy, Michael Maltman, Stuart McInally
Cons: Duncan Weir 3
Pens: Weir 2

For Tonga:

Pen: Manu Soatame

Pool B: England 17-9 France

The reliable boot of Freddie Burns once again proved decisive as England ran out 17-9 winners over France in their Pool B decider at the Estadio El Coloso del Parque in Rosario to take their place in the IRB Junior World Championship 2010 semifinals.

Ignoring the wet and windy conditions which saw both sides struggle to control the ball, the England fullback calmly slotted three penalties with centre Jamie Gibson scoring the only try of the match on Sunday.

The scorers

For England:

Try: Jamie Gibson
Pens: Freddie Burns 3
DG: Rory Clegg

For France:

Pens: Jean Marc Doussain 2, Gilles Bosch

Pool B: Argentina 24-21 Ireland

Argentina finally gave their fans something to celebrate by beating Ireland 24-21at the Estadio El Coloso del Parque in Rosario for their first victory of the IRB Junior World Championship 2010.

Los Pumitas’ dreams of reaching the semi finals on home soil had disappeared after defeats by England and France, but they knew that victory over the Under 20 Six Nations champions would ensure their place in next year’s Championship in Italy.

Scorers

For Argentina:

Tries: Gonzalo Vila, Tomas De La Vega
Con: Santiago Mendez
Pens: Mendez 3
DG: Ignacio Rodriguez Muedra

For Ireland:

Tries: Ben Marshall, David Doyle
Con: James McKinney
Pens: McKinney 3

Pool A: New Zealand 43-10 Wales

New Zealand confirmed their place in the semifinals after beating Wales with a clinical display at the Estadio CA Colon in Santa Fe on Sunday to top Pool A.

The two-time defending champions ran in six tries to see off the challenge of Wales, picking up their eight bonus point victory in nine Junior World Championship pool matches and extending their unbeaten run to 13.

With captain Tyler Bleyendaal and scrum half Tawera Kerr-Barlow combining well together to cut open the Welsh defence, particularly in the second half, and the Baby Blacks’ forwards creating a strong platform the backs to shine there only ever looked one winner.

Scorers

For New Zealand:

Tries: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Julian Savea 2, Tom Marshall 2, Telusa Veainu
Cons: Tyler Bleyendaal 5
Pen: Bleyendaal

For Wales:

Try: Rhys Williams
Con: Matthew Jarvis
Pen: Jarvis

Pool A: Samoa 12-15 Fiji

A last gasp 50-metre dash by Iromi Dawai enabled Fiji to snatch a 15-12 win over Samoa in their final Pool A on Sunday.

The flank’s last minute try at the Club Atletico Estudiantes in Paraná gave Fiji their first win in the tournament and guarantees them their best ever finish as they will playoff now for fifth to eight places.

Scorers

For Samoa:

Pens: Patrick Fa’apale Faleono 4

For Fiji:

Tries: Jovesa Tanikorolevu, Iromi Dawai
Con: Josh Matavesi
Pen: Matavesi

With thanks to the IRB