Simelane hat-trick pulls Baby Boks through against Ireland

A SECOND-half hat-trick by centre Wandisile Simelane sealed a scrappy 30-17 win for the Baby Boks at the Under-20 World Championships over Ireland in Narbonne yesterday.

Simelane, who switched to the left wing after half time, showed superb game-awareness, speed and desire on his way to tries that extracted South Africa from a tricky situation after Ireland led early in the second half.

The win moves SA to top of their pool with 10 points from two matches, with France to come at the same venue in a group decider on Thursday.

In all, the Baby Boks scored five tries but appear to have lost flyhalf Damian Willemse to a serious knee injury. Fullback Gianni Lombard, who took over the kicking duties, only landed one of five shots at goal.

It was a second error-strewn performance from SA, but the bench proved decisive, with replacements giving the team impetus at the right time.

After moving into a 12-0 lead inside the first quarter, the Junior Boks made the most of scraps of possession and territory they earned.

Scrumhalf Zak Burger sniped in two minutes into the game, with Willemse converting to give the Baby Boks the perfect start.

Despite relentless Ireland pressure, the Boks’ defence held firm for the most part, and when they worked a way back into Ireland’s 22m area 19 minutes in, they fashioned a scoring opportunity for wing Muller du Plessis.

But SA’s inability to hang on to the ball for more than a few phases kept Ireland in the game, despite the scoreboard suggesting otherwise.

By the half-time break, there were only two points in it.

Ireland flyhalf Conor Dean landed a penalty and captain and No 8 Caelen Doris scored a try shortly before half time to heap pressure on SA.

A yellow card against flank Ruan Vermaak on the stroke of half time, put SA on the back foot and the situation became worse, when Ireland scored their second try through fullback Michael Silvester four minutes after the break.

The Baby Boks trailed and seemed to be on the ropes, but two moments of inspiration from Simelane, coupled with a pack that took control, saw SA over the line.

Simelane scored two tries in six minutes, the first rounding off a good build-up to draw the scores level.

For his second, he plucked the ball from the air when chasing a contestable kick, that broke the deadlock.

Lombard finally managed to land a penalty to take the lead to eight points with 11 minutes to go, and Simelane secured the match with a try that started from a scrum on the halfway line with five minutes to go.