The Junior Springboks have officially kicked off their Georgian tour, using a high-intensity training hit-out against the Lelo Saracens in Tbilisi on Wednesday afternoon to sharpen their skills ahead of their first international clash with Georgia U20 on Sunday.
Wednesday’s session against the Saracens wasn’t a formal match, but rather a structured 15 vs 15 “non-contact” training game designed to test the South Africans’ tactical systems under pressure.
“It was more of a training simulation than an actual match, non-contact, but very fast,” Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote explained afterwards.
“It gave us the opportunity to test our structure, attack, and defence. We had a very excellent block for units; it was very physical over there.”
Foote highlighted the value of facing Georgian club opposition, particularly in the tight exchanges, where the local sides are renowned for their strength: “They (Saracens) came at us in the mauls and scrums, which is what we expected. It was great for our pack to get that hit-out before Sunday, and for our backs to get some running in the legs.”
With the international season looming, this tour serves as a vital pre-season exercise for the young South Africans. They now shift their focus to Sunday, where they will face the Georgia U20S in the first of two internationals, with Foote and his charges very much aware of what to expect from their hosts.
“We’re expecting physicality,” said Foote. “It's a great opportunity for us to keep building our connections on the field and test our structures and our strike play.”
Despite the reputation for harsh weather in the region, the SA U20 coach was pleasantly surprised by the winter conditions: “The weather’s not as bad as we expected, it’s actually very pleasant. All in all, a great facility for us to train and to grow as a squad. We are very grateful to the Georgians for hosting us in such a great way.”
Foote highlighted the growing cohesion within the squad, noting that the tour has been invaluable for connection and culture-building.
“The players are really settling nicely – there’s a great synergy developing, and everyone is enjoying the environment, which is crucial,” he said.
“We’re taking a lot of good connection pieces out of this tour, and it’s helping us build towards the full 31-man rotation we’ll use on Sunday.”
The SA U20S are based in Martkopi, a village on the outskirts of Tbilisi, for the duration of their two-week stay. It is home to the Georgian Rugby Federation's high-performance training centre, which is a world-class facility where international teams often set up their training base.