Rugby Championship U20, Round three - teams and predictions

ROUND THREE PREVIEW: The Junior Springboks are motivated and determined to finish the U20 Rugby Championship on a positive note when they face New Zealand at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Sunday.

SA U20 head coach Kevin Foote has included five players from the side that faced Australia earlier in the week for their clash against New Zealand.

In the pack, loosehead prop Simphiwe Ngobese, lock and captain Riley Norton, and No.8 Wandile Mlaba are retained from the side which fell just short against Australia.

Vusi Moyo, who gave a strong performance against the Aussies, retains the flyhalf berth, while Cheswill Jooste will run out at right wing as the only backs starting again.

Norton, Mlaba, and Jooste will start their third successive competition game.

The Junior Boks reviewed their match against Australia thoroughly and have worked hard on the aspects of their game that they have identified as needing improvement.

According to Foote, the Junior Boks are all highly motivated and very positive for the exciting challenge of facing South Africa’s biggest rugby rival in front of what promises to be a big crowd at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

“Obviously, we were bitterly disappointed with not winning the Australian game, but there were some great learnings for us in preparation for the World Championship,” said Foote.

“I thought that our set-piece took a big step forward, and we controlled a lot of the game for a period, but there are aspects for us to work on, in particular our breakdown. We got turned over too often while some of the kicking patterns were out of character, which we look to fix and get some clarity around that.”

Regarding team selection for the New Zealand match, Foote explained: “We’re bringing some players back from the first game while retaining some guys who played in the second game. That will bring some freshness to the match-23, and there is real excitement in the squad for our match on Saturday.

“We believe we have a good and confident team, and all the players have put in a massive effort during the last two and a half weeks. We want to finish strong in front of our home crowd on Mother’s Day, making our mothers proud and celebrating all the moms in the country.”

South Africa and New Zealand have a special rivalry on the rugby field that is full of tradition, and that is something that Foote and his Junior Boks are very aware of.

“Playing against New Zealand is one of the biggest honours in rugby and playing in the green and gold jersey against them is always very special, and something we don’t take for granted,” Foote emphasised.

In the other fixture, Australia U20 coach Chris Whitaker has made several changes as they look for the Rugby Championship title against Argentina on Sunday.

The Aussies sit in second currently, with a win over Argentina and a South Africa victory over New Zealand handing them their maiden title.

The Kiwis are currently one point ahead on the ladder after a thumping victory over Los Pumitas.

Hooker Lipina Ata gets his first start of the tournament after scoring in last week’s victory over South Africa.

Ata is joined by Trevor King and Kaleb Ah-Colt in the front-row, with Joe Mangelsdorf and Eamon Doyle unchanged in the second-row.

Tom Robinson, son of former Wallaby Brett, comes into the back-row for his first appearance in South Africa.
Reds teammate Charlie Brosnan and Waratah Toby Brial round out the forward pack.

In the backs, James Martens and Joe Dillon form a new-look halves partnership.

Shane Wilcox comes on the wing after featuring in the draw against New Zealand.

Liam Grover also comes back into the midfield with Boston Fakafanua, with Xavier Rubens moved to the wing.

Waratahs duo Charlie O’Kane, Nick Hill and Edwin Langi make up the forwards reserves alongsides Brumbies Ollie Aylmer and Beau Morrison.

Hwi Sharples and Joey Fowler will finish the game, with Cooper Watters named to complete the 23.

Los Pumitas and Australia faced each other twice in 2024, with the national team winning both times.

First, it was a 25-6 victory in the Rugby Championship U20 opener on the Sunshine Coast, and then a 14-6 victory in the fifth-place playoff at the World Cup in South Africa.

Galo Álvarez Quiñones, one of the Los Pumitas coaches, commented on their focus for the final match of the tournament.

“Our preparation focused primarily on the mistakes we made against New Zealand, specifically on our defensive play, continuing to improve our defence, and, like in every match, preparing well for our shot acquisition and the shots we’re going to take.”

Sunday, May 11

Argentina v Australia
(Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha – Kick-off: 14.00, 22.00 Australia time; 12.00 GMT)

Predictions:

Rugby365: Australia by five points

Teams:

Argentina: 15 Pascal Senillosa, 14 Bautista Lescano, 13 Pedro Coll, 12 Felipe Ledesma (captain), 11 Aquiles Vieyra, 10 Rafael Bendit, 9 Félix Corleto, 8 Agustín García Campos, 7 Tomas Duclos, 6 Pampa Storey, 5 Alejandro Neigborhoods, 4 Valentino Freiria, 3 Valentin Vicenta Vidal,2 Tadeo Ledesma Arocena, 1 Diego Correa.
Replacements: 16 Jerinomo Otano, 17 Juan Ignacio Rodriguez, 18 Gael Galvan, 19 Álvaro García Iandolino, 20 Franco Benítez, 21 Jeronimo Llorens Villanueca, 22 Ramon Fernandez Miranda, 23 Martiniano Arrieta.

Australia: 15 Sid Harvey, 14 Shane Wilcox, 13 Liam Grover, 12 Boston Fakafanua, 11 Xavier Rubens, 10 Joe Dillon, 9 James Martens, 8 Toby Brial, 7 Tom Robinson, 6 Charlie Brosnan, 5 Eamon Doyle (captain), 4 Joe Mangelsdorf, 3 Kaleb Ah-Colt, 2 Lipina Ata, 1 Trevor King
Replacements: 16 Charlie O’Kane, 17 Nick Hill, 18 Edwin Langi, 19 Ollie Aylmer, 20 Beau Morrison, 21 Hwi Sharples, 22 Joey Fowler, 23 Cooper Watters.

Referee: Christopher Allison (SARU)
Assistant Referees: Todd Petrie (NZ), Phumzile Mbewu
TMO: Egon Seconds

South Africa v New Zealand
(Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha – Kick-off: 16.00, Monday 02.10 New Zealand time, 14.00 GMT)

Prediction:
Rugby365: New Zealand by four points

Teams

South Africa: 15 Gilermo Mentoe, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Demitre Erasmus, 12 Albie Bester, 11 Gino Cupido, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Wandile Mlaba, 7 Matt Romao, 6 Thando Biyela, 5 JJ Theron, 4 Riley Norton (captain), 3 Jean Erasmus, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Simphiwe Ngobese
Replacements: 16 Juandre Schoeman, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Herman Lubbe, 19 Morne Venter, 20 Batho Hlekani, 21 Ceano Everson, 22 Kyle Smith, 23 JC Mars

New Zealand: 15 Stanley Solomon, 14 Maloni Kunawave, 13 Jake Wiseman, 12 Harlyn Saunoa, 11 David Lewai, 10 Will Cole,9 Dylan Pledger, 8 Mosese Bason, 7 Caleb Woodley, 6 Finn McLeod, 5 Josh Tengblad, 4 Xavier Treacy, 3 Robson Faleafā, 2 Manumaua Letiu (captain), 1 Sika Pole.
Replacements: 16 Eli Odenryn, 17 Tamiano Ahloo, 18 Dane Johnston, 19 Randall Baker, 20 Micah Fale, 21 Charlie Sinton, 22 Rico Simpson, 23 Tayne Harvey.

Referee: Thomas Bertazza (Arg)
Assistant Referees: George Myers (Aus), Sean Muller
TMO: Egon Seconds