France U19 claimed a disciplined 20-12 win over the SA U19 Academy side in slippery conditions in Châteauroux on Saturday afternoon, with the visitors making too many unforced errors.
Both teams were happy to play the kicking game; however, France got the better of the Bokkies' driving maul and defended it with surprising ease, which was eventually the difference between the two teams.
France dominated the first twelfe minutes of the match until Siphosethu Mnebelele scored for Bokkies off the back of a brilliant driving maul. Vusi Moyo converted to extend the Bokkies' lead to 07-00.
However, France hit back six minutes later when prop Edouard Njocke crashed over off the back of a lineout-maul, fly-half Tana Keletaona levelled the score at 07-07.
The rest of the first half was dominated by France; however, the Bokkies also had their opportunities to take the lead.
France upped the tempo of their attack since the start of the second half and earned a converted penalty by fly-half Tana Keletaona to take a 10-07 lead after just four minutes in the second half.
After twenty minutes of play, France’s inside centre Quentin Valentino crashed over the Bokkies tryline following a fifteen-man attack. Tana Keletaona converted to extend France’s lead to 17-07.
A yellow card to France gave the Bokkies a one-man extra up from and Phiwayinkosi Kubheka bulldozed his way over for the Bokkies' second try, cutting France’s lead to 17-12.
With two minutes still to play, Tana Keletaona converted a second penalty to secure a 20-12 win.
Scorers:
France U19: Tries: Edouard Njocke, Quentin Valentino. Conversions: Luka Keletaona (2). Penalties: Luka Keletaona (2).
SA U19 Academy: Tries: Siphosethu Mnebelele, Kebotile Maake. Conversion: Vusi Moyo.
Teams:
France U19: 15. Axel Guillaud, 14. Dylan Cazemajou, 13. Adrien Drault, 12. Quentin Valentino, 11. Melvyn Rates, 10. Tana Keletaona, 9. Baptiste Tilloles, 8. Clement Paul, 7. Marceau Marzullo (c), 6. Clement Paul, 5. Leo Michaux, 4. Martin Bonnard , 3. Jabea Njocke, 2. Lohann Gil, 1. Matheo Frisach. Replacements: 16. Ratavo Antonio, 17. Liam Couturier, 18. Alexandre Langlois, 19. Baptiste Veschambre, 20. Remy Lanen, 21. Bobby Bissu, 22. Martin Blum, 23. Joseph Laharrague.
SA U19 Academy: 15 Akahluwa Boqwana, 14 Lindsey Jansen, 13 Khuthadzo Rasivhaga, 12 Pieter van der Merwe, 11 Dylan Miller, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Elgernon Meyer, 8 Reuben Kruger, 7 Aiden de Costa, 6 Kebotile Maake, 5 Riley Norton (c), 4 Heinrich Theron, 3 Danie Kruger, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Oliver Reid. Replacements: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Phiwayinkosi Kubheka, 18 Ulrich van der Merwe, 19 JD Hattingh, 20 Tom Barnard, 21 Vuyo Gwiji, 22 Luan Giliomee, 23 Janco Purchase.