The Junior Springboks became the third South African team to claim world champion status by outplaying New Zealand 23-15 in the World Rugby U20 Championship Final in Rovigo on Saturday night.
The SA U20S join the reigning Rugby World Cup champions, the Springboks, and the Blitzboks at the top of the World Rugby competition podium.
The Junior Springboks’ tournament victory, their first since 2012, came on a hot and humid night in Italy where they once again proved the masters of their southern hemisphere foes, beating the Kiwis for a seventh consecutive time in this tournament and the second time in a final, the same as in 2012, when the SA U20s outplayed NZ by 22-16.
The class of 2025 won the final on the back of good defence, good discipline and scoring the crucial points when it mattered. They were leading 13-5 at the break and never took their foot off the pedal against a New Zealand team that fought until the end, but to no avail.
The Junior Boks started in the best way possible with an early maul try by flanker Xola Nyali, converted by the trusted boot of Vusi Moyo, and the 07-00 lead was good early value for money.
New Zealand focused on a stack attack early on, something that worked well for them in their previous encounter against South Africa. By this time around, the Junior Boks’ defence held out.
A good cover tackle kept New Zealand from scoring from such an attack, but they could not keep out the team in black from a resulting lineout when lock Jayden Sa scored. New Zealand outfoxed their foes in the lineout, and Sa came around the front to score and cut the lead to two points.
Vusi Moyo extended the lead to 10-5 soon after with a penalty goal, and then New Zealand's prop Sika Pole was sent to the sin bin, with his high tackle upgraded to a 20-minute red card.
The Junior Boks pressed hard to make the numerical advantage count, but Moyo missed a drop goal as South Africa looked to confirm their upper hand in general play.
An injury to Nyali resulted in him being replaced by Stephanus Linde, but the pressure remained on New Zealand, who were guilty of forcing play to combat their absent defender.
SA U20 centre Albe Bester was yellow carded for a dangerous ruck entry, but Moyo kicked another penalty when the Junior Blacks strayed offside to push the lead to 13-5 at the break.
New Zealand started strongly in the second half, taking the ball through numerous phases and earning a penalty for their efforts. Flyhalf Rico Simpson kicked the points to cut SA’s lead to 13-8 after 47 minutes.
Moyo cancelled that out with another penalty goal that pushed the lead to 16-8. The Junior Boks were starting to dominate and a try by Haashim Pead seemed to seal the deal, but it was disallowed by the TMO. Moyo then missed a penalty attempt as well, but the South Africans were in control as the championship minutes came into play.
They were held up over the tryline and were dominating play, but with no scoreboard reflection. That changed three minutes from full-time, though, when Pead chipped to the corner, into the waiting arms of fullback Gilermo Mentoe.
At 23-08 it was game over and although New Zealand scored a minute later, the win was secured and the bogey finally buried.
Scorers:
Junior Springboks: Tries: Xola Nyali, Gilermo Mentoe. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (2). Penalties: Vusi Moyo (3).
New Zealand Tries: Jayden Sa, Maloni Kunawave. Conversion: Will Cole. Penalty: Rico Simpson.
Teams:
New Zealand: 15 Stanley Solomon, 14 Frank Vaenuku, 13 Cooper Roberts, 12 Jack Wiseman, 11 Maloni Kunawave, 10 Rico Simpson, 9 Dylan Pledger, 8 Mosese Bason, 7 Caleb Woodley, 6 Finn McLeod, 5 Jayden Sa, 4 Xavier Treacy, 3 Robson Faleafā, 2 Manumaua Letiu (c), 1 Sika Pole. Replacements: 16 Eli Oudenryn, 17 Israel Time, 18 Dane Johnston, 19 Aisake Vakasiuola, 20 Micah Fale, 21 Jai Tamati, 22 Will Cole, 23 Tayne Harvey.
Junior Springboks: 15 Gilermo Mentoe, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Demitre Erasmus, 12 Albie Bester, 11 Jaco Williams, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Wandile Mlaba, 7 Bathobele Hlekani, 6 Xola Nyali, 5 JJ Theron, 4 Riley Norton (c), 3 Herman Lubbe, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Simphiwe Ngobese. Replacements: 16 Jaundré Schoeman, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Jean Erasmus, 19 Jaco Grobbelaar, 20 Matt Romao, 21 Stephanus Linde, 22 Ceano Everson, 23 Dominic Malgas.