Baby Boks’ trial by fire
SA face old foe in junior world champs
SOUTH Africa and New Zealand do not often meet in a final of an international rugby competition, but when they do it is always a momentous occasion.
Before the Baby Boks tackle the Baby Blacks in the Junior World Championship finals in Cape Town tonight, for inspiration they could study the tape of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final.
Assistant coach Brendan Venter compared the Baby Boks’ win over England in the group stages with that triumph over the mighty All Blacks 17 years ago. But if his boys win tonight, he will be perfectly justified.
For the first time in the tournament’s short history, both finalists suffered unexpected defeats against northern hemisphere opposition in the earlier rounds – SA to Ireland and New Zealand to Wales.
Nonetheless, both teams need to put that behind them.
Bok coach Dawie Theron has surprisingly benched Player of the Tournament nominee Shaun Adendorff in favour of Wiaan Liebenberg, who will captain the side.
Exciting speedster Raymond Rhule, two-try hero in the semifinal against Argentina, starts at right wing in place of the injured Paul Jordaan.
“I feel for Shaun, as he was one of our standouts in the tournament,” said Theron.
“But with William [Small-Smith] also out injured, we needed to have our captain back and on the field from the start. Shaun will hopefully make a significant contribution from the bench.”
Handre Pollard’s reliable decision-making at flyhalf and Jan Serfontein’s hard running in the centre will be keys in pegging the New Zealanders back, however, they cannot afford to kick valuable possession away to the eager runners like outside centre Jason Emery.
Both teams have grown in confidence as the tournament has progressed and both have cleaned up their setpiece play, which should make for an intriguing forward battle.
The Baby Blacks have won the tournament four times since its inception in 2008 and had not lost a game before the 9-6 defeat to Wales this month. They have since returned to their dominant ways and the Baby Boks would do well to close down distribution supremo flyhalf Ihaia West and front up to the physicality of loose-forward Jimmy Tupou.
The dry weather will suit both teams’ running game plans and Newlands stadium will be packed and cheering for the Baby Boks who are out to end their opponents’ monopoly of the trophy.
The Junior All Blacks won 36-7 the last time these two teams met in Argentina two years ago.
Meanwhile, Liebenberg felt the Baby Boks’ homeground advantage will be a massive factor for his team, and they plan to draw great inspiration from the crowd, which by Wednesday had passed the 24 000-mark.
“We want to use the crowd’s energy to lift us up as a team so at the end of the day we rise up victorious.
“So it’s a special moment. It’s an opportunity you dream of forever. It is such a privilege playing for your country, just giving your all for the jersey you’re wearing.” — Additional reporting by Sapa