Baby Boks lose it late on
IT WAS tough from the very start for the Junior Springboks, and the fact that they led up to the 70th minute will make their World Rugby Under-20 Championship semi-final defeat to England even tougher to deal with.
But, to be fair, England called the shots right from the start and showed just why they made it into the playoffs unbeaten.
The Junior Boks, who relied on a kicking game in the early stages of the game, spent a great deal of the match defending, and when they did take control of the ball, they looked good. But England just looked better.
The defending champions’ halfback pairing of Alex Mitchell and Max Malins showed game-management beyond their years, while skipper and No 8 Zach Mercer exhibited superb skill and ran in two tries to help his side progress to the final.
In the South African team, Juarno Augustus’ physicality and grit gave England a tough time at the breakdowns, while he also contributed to the side with big tackles and, of course, two tries (he has scored in every game).
The defending champions got the opening try when captain Mercer finished off great interplay between the forwards and backs to score, and the Baby Boks answered with a try of their own when Augustus crossed the try-line after some enterprising play by Chean Roux’s team that started all the way back in their own 22 with a great break (and a top fend) by flyhalf Curwin Bosch to make it 7-7 at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia.
England got their second try when Malins broke through to send scrumhalf Mitchell over, and the pivot added a penalty to extend England’s lead to 17-7.
Augustus scored his sixth try of the tournament after numerous driving phases by the SA U20s. Bosch missed with his conversion (half-time 17-12).
The Baby Boks started to dominate the set-pieces in the third quarter, and after some impressive work by the forwards, took the lead for the first time when Ruben van Heerden forced his way over for a converted try (19-17).
With 10 minutes to go, a Bosch penalty extended the lead to 22-17. But Mercer shrugged off three defenders to score the five-pointer that secured England’s fifth consecutive final spot.
Junior Springboks: Tries: Juarno Augustus (2), Ruben van Heerden. Conversions: Bosch (2). Penalties: Bosch
England: Tries: Zach Mercer (2), Alex Mitchell. Conversions: Malins (3). Penalties: Max Malins WELLINGTON: Flyhalf Marty Banks slotted a 74th minute penalty to give the Highlanders a dramatic 23-22 victory over the British and Irish Lions, handing the tourists their second defeat of the tour in a Dunedin thriller yesterday.
The Lions scored tries through centre Jonathan Joseph, wing Tommy Seymour and captain Sam Warburton but, having led 22-13 in the 53rd minute, were overhauled by a passionate Highlanders side in front of a raucous crowd at the Otago Regional Stadium.
All Blacks Waisake Naholo and Liam Coltman crossed for the home side, but it was replacement flyhalf Banks’ kick from the tee after the Highlanders pack had destroyed the Lions at a scrum in their own 22 that proved decisive.
The Lions now head to Rotorua to face the Maori All Blacks in their fifth game of the 10-match tour on Saturday with Gatland expected to pick his strongest side with an eye on the first Test against the All Blacks on June 24 at Eden Park.
“We scored a couple of tries which was a positive,” Warburton said.
“I’m sure for the neutral, for the Highlanders fans, it was a great game to watch but for us, there’s a lot of learning to do.
“It was a good tight match but if we could go back in time, I think there’s a few things we’d have changed out there...”
The home side, mindful the Lions had been superb in defence in their 12-3 win over the Crusaders on Saturday, played at a much higher tempo and attacked from greater depth than their south island rivals.
Gatland’s team, however, were more than able to match the locals in an entertaining spectacle but their skill execution again let them down on several occasions yesterday.
England centre Joseph did manage to seize on one first-half chance when their forwards created an overlap that was further exploited when Naholo rushed out of position.
Naholo had earlier capitalised on Joseph’s own mistakes in defence when flank Gareth Evans made ground out wide and the All Blacks winger smashed through the tackle of Courtney Lawes.
Lock Lawes was taken off for a head injury check and did not return.
The sides went into the break with the scores tied at 10-10 but the Lions were soon ahead after the re-start, Seymour snatching a Lima Sopoaga crosskick out of the air and sprinting untouched to the line.
Flyhalf Sopoaga narrowed the gap with his second penalty but then threw a poor pass close to his goal-line to put his side under pressure again, Warburton making the most of the chance and barrelling over for his side’s third try.
Hooker Coltman’s try from a rolling maul, however, brought the Highlanders back to 22-20 and when the home side pushed the Lions scrum off their own ball, Banks stepped up to calmly send the winning kick between the posts.
“Everyone was outstanding,” Highlanders captain Luke Whitelock said.
“We wanted to play at speed and we converted that into pressure.
“They keep coming, wave after wave and the boys were just outstanding getting up tackling and throwing their bodies into it.” – Reuters
There’s a few things we would have changed – Warburton