The Junior Springboks lost 24-19 to Australia U20 in their second match of the 2024 U20 Rugby Championship.
The Junior Springboks hung on for most of the match and unfortunately, the Aussies were unlucky not to score four of five more missed tries due to bad handling in the final moments before scoring.
Australia dominated territory and possession during the first twenty minutes which was played in extremely wet conditions, however, Australia could not convert their dominance into points.
Following twenty minutes of play the Junior Springboks' Mbasa Maqubela, received a yellow card which was upgraded to a red card. The Junior Springboks were reduced to fourteen players after which they may replace Maqubela according to the new twenty-minute red card rule.
A mistake by the Junior Springboks on the defence gave Australia an opportunity to convert a penalty to take the lead after twenty-eight minutes to play in the first half.
The Junior Springboks attacked from the kick-off launching wave after wave of attacks until JF van Heerden bulldozed his way over Australia's tryline to take a 07-03 lead.
The Aussies hit back immediately to score their first try of the afternoon, leading 10-07 with five minutes still to play in the first half
The Junior Springs should be satisfied going into the second half after playing with one man short to only trail by 10-07. The Junior Boks started the second half with fifteen players while red-carded Mbasa Maqubela will not be able to return to play against Australia.
The Junior Springboks were dominated early on, however, after twenty minutes of play, they started to put phases together until winger Litelihle Bester cut through the defence of Australia to score the Junior Springboks' second try.
Once again Australia hit back almost immediately to regain their lead with thirteen minutes still to play, leading 17-14, whereafter an Australia "try" was disallowed, to be turned into a penalty try and Bathobele Hlekani sent off with a yellow card. Australia led 24-14 with seven minutes left to play in the match.
With two minutes to play, Litelihle Bester controlled a grubber from Jurenzo Juries to score in the corner, reducing Australia's lead to 24-19.
Australia deservedly won 24-19 with the Junior Boks maybe a bit "lucky" that the margin does not reflect the on-field action.
Earlier today New Zealand U20 beat Argentina U20 43-20 in the first match of the second day of matches. On Thursday last week, the Junior Springboks and New Zealand played out to an exciting 13-13 draw in their U20 Rugby Championship opener in very difficult conditions in the Sunshine Coast Stadium in Australia on Thursday while Australia U20 went down to Argentina 25-06.
Scorers:
Junior Springboks: Tries: JF van Heerden, Litelihle Bester (2). Conversion: Thurlon Williams (2).
Australia U20: Tries: Shane Wilcox (2), Penalty try. Conversion: Cullen Gray (2). Penalty: Cullen Gray.
Teams:
Junior Springboks: 1 Mbasa Maqubela, 2 Ethan Bester, 3 Reno Hirst, 4 Bathobele Hlekani, 5 JF van Heerden (c), 6 Divan Fuller, 7 Keanu Coetsee, 8 Tiaan Jacobs, 9 Asad Moos, 10 Thurlon Williams, 11 Litelihle Bester, 12 Philip-Albert van Niekerk, 13 Jurenzo Julius (vc), 14 Joshua Boulle, 15 Michail Damon. Replacements: 16 CJ Erasmus, 17 Liyema Ntshanga, 18 Casper Badenhorst, 19 Adam de Waal, 20 Thabang Mphafi, 21 Hassiem Pead, 22 Bruce Sherwood, 23 JC Mars
Australia U20: 1 Jack Barrett, 2 Otavio Tuipulotu, 3 Nick Bloomfield, 4 Toby Macpherson (c), 5 Oliver McRea, 6 Ben Di Staso, 7 Dan Sawers, 8 Jack Harley, 9 Hwi Sharples, 10 Cullen Gray, 11 Angus Staniforth, 12 Ronan Leahy (vc), 13 Frankie Goldsbrough, 14 Kauri Tipene-Grace, 15 Shane Wilcox. Replacements: 16 Lington Ieli, 17 Bryn Edwards, 18 Tevita Alatini, 19 Harvey Cordukes, 20 Joe Liddy, 21 Doug Philipson, 22 Joey Fowler, 23 David Palu.
