BOK HERO ‘GREEDY’
SNYMAN: NOW THAT HE’S HAD A TASTE, HE WANTS MORE
Vermeulen praised for calming side down after nightmare start.
Towering Springbok lock RG Snyman became an instant hero in his debut Test against England last weekend – but now he wants more.
It was his lineout steal which stopped the England momentum in the tight Bok win of 42-39 during the closing stages and the Boks could breathe again.
“It was basically only a heat-ofthe-moment decision and I was just relieved that we got the ball back and started playing again from there,” he said yesterday.
“If I get selected again we expect a big fightback from them this weekend.”
Snyman said the tension level was a bit less with two other players also making their debuts in wingers Aphiwe Dyantyi and S’bu Nkosi.
“It was no doubt a better feeling making my debut alongside them and well done to them for scoring those tries,” he said.
“But after those first 20 minutes I felt as though the game would never end and then I ended up playing 80 which I didn’t expect.”
Snyman said former Bok and Bulls legends Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw were his idols growing up.
“I have always been a Bulls fan and looked up to them. I also like the aggression of somebody like Danie, while a guy like Lood (de Jager) helped me a lot, he really spends a lot of time preparing well for a game,” he said.
Snyman said No 8 Duane Vermeulen helped to calm them down a lot after they went behind 24-3 early in the match last weekend.
“A guy like Duane has obviously been in that kind of situation before and he pulled us together behind the poles and his chat really calmed us down and helped us to focus for the rest of the game,” he said.
Snyman said it was a massive honour to don the green and gold for the first time.
‘It was a big honour to run out at Ellis Park and it was a really nice match to be involved in and see a dream which I nurtured as a little boy turning into reality.”
NARBONNE – The Junior Springboks will contest the bronze playoff at the World Rugby U20 Championship on Sunday after heartbreaking 32-31 defeat against England yesterday in the semi-final at Stade d’Honneur du Parc des Sports et de l’Amitié in Narbonne dashed their hopes of advancing to the final.
The team staged a spirited fightback from 19-0 down to come within range of winning in the dying minutes, but they were denied as England held on with 14 men.
England took advantage of an early yellow card for Junior Boks No 8 Muller Uys to score two of their three first-half tries, with Tom Parton touching down in the corner in the 10th minute and Tom Hardwick adding another.
They added their third try soon after, as Ben White received the ball and made his way to the tryline, and the successful conversion pushed them 19-0 ahead.
The SA under-20s hit back with a try eight minutes before halftime as Sazi Sandi crashed over the chalk, and Gianni Lombard’s took their score to seven points.
The Junior Boks continued to create chances on attack, but were unable to capitalise on them, and with halftime approaching England were awarded a penalty and extended their lead to 22-7.
Roux’s charges showed intent early in the second half as Uys and Ruan Nortje scored back-to-back tries within eight minutes.
England, however, fought back with a try by Jordan Olowofela, which saw them stretch their lead to 32-19 with 20 minutes to play.
The Junior Boks’ fighting spirit paid off as Manuel Rass scored the team’s fourth try in the 66th minute, which allowed them to claw their way to within eight points.
They built on this and camped in England’s 22, and with the opposition continuing to infringe, lock James Scott received a yellow card in the 73rd minute, which reduced the team to 14 men.
The Junior Boks pounced on this and Asenathi Ntlabakanye forced his way over the line, with Lombard’s conversion closing the gap to one point with minutes to play. – ANA