Baby Boks whitewash Los Pumitas

South Africa Under-20 completed a 3-0 series win over Argentina at the weekend.

They clinched a 41-36 victory in their final encounter at City Park in Cape Town, after the Baby Springboks led 24-5 at half-time.

The three matches were part of the two sides' preparations for the 2014 Junior World Championship, to be staged during June in Auckland, New Zealand.

The South Africans registered victories of 78-31 and 60-14 in the previous two encounters.

Cool conditions and a stiff breeze greeted the two teams at City Park and the home team quickly got into their stride in the first-half.

After leading 24-5 at the break, the home side allowed the visitors back into the game when they scored several good tries.

South Africa scored four tries in the first half, while Argentina responded with a good effort.

Prop Pierre Schoeman was first over the try line and he was followed by centre Andre Esterhuizen, scrumhalf JP Smith and outside centre Dan Kriel.

Jean-Luc du Plessis succeeded with two conversions to make the halftime score 24-5 after the visitors' Boffelli Emiliano (centre) managed to break through the home defence.

It was the visitors who scored first in the second half through flank Lezana Tomas to reduce the deficit to 24-10.

This try seemed to kick the Los Pumitas into gear, and left wing Echardt Rodrigo then sliced through the SA U20 defence to score (24-17).

Rodrigo, who was now in fine form, scored his second try barely two minutes later to level the scores at 24-24.

However, the Baby Boks hit back through wing Duhan van der Merwe as he finished a fine movement to score in the corner, allowing his team to reclaim the lead at 29-24.

Two more tries by Jean-Luc du Plessis (flyhalf) and Warrick Gelant (fullback), followed by a second try by Argentine livewire flank Tomas, took the score to 41-29.

However, it was prop Gigena Facundo who was the last player to score as Argentina signaled their intentions of never giving up, to bring the final score to 41-36 in favour of the Junior Boks.

The scorers

For South African Under-20:

Tries: Schoeman, Esterhuizen, Smith, D Kriel, Van der Merwe, Du Plessis, Gelant

Cons: Du Plessis 3

For Argentina  Under-20:

Tries: Emiliano, Tomas 2, Rodrigo 2, Facundo

Cons: Fernández 3

Teams:

South Africa Under-20: 15 Jessie Kriel, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dan Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 JP Smith, 8 Aidon Davis, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Victor Sekekete, 5 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 4 Abongile Nontonkwane, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Pierre Schoeman.

Replacements: From the rest of the squad

Argentina Under-20: 15 Ignacio Albornoz, 14 Germán Schulz, 13 Santiago Álvarez Fourcade, 12 Emiliano Boffelli, 11 Rodrigo Etchart, 10 Patricio Fernández (captain), 9 Juan Bernardini, 8 Santiago Montagner, 7 José Deheza, 6 Tomás Lezana, 5 Guido Petti Pagadizabal, 4 Vittorio Rosti, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 2 Juan Ignacio Sánchez, 1 Ariel Del Cerro.

Replacements: From the rest of the squad

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)