Captain Riley Norton says the Junior Springboks “don’t need any extra motivation” for the World Rugby U20 Championship final against New Zealand in Rovigo on Saturday.
The Junior Boks qualified for their first final appearance since 2014 when they defeated Argentina 48-24 on Monday night in Viadana, while New Zealand beat France 34-26 in their semi-final earlier in the day.
Rugby’s greatest rivals last met at the Sanzaar U20 Rugby Championship in Port Elizabeth in May, with the Baby Blacks winning 48-45 to retain their title.
“Every child in South Africa and every child in New Zealand who has ever picked up a rugby ball dreams of this occasion,” said Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote. “It’s a special moment, and New Zealand are a special side. A final between these two teams is fantastic for the game of rugby.”
Norton said Saturday’s decider would be the “ultimate test” for his side.
“You don’t need any extra motivation for a final like this. As coach Kevin said, you dream of a match like this – facing the haka on Saturday, the history and tradition of rugby between South Africa and New Zealand is just unbelievable.
“We love playing each other and have great respect for one another. It’s going to be an 80-minute battle. We’re extremely excited for Saturday, and I know the guys are up for it and very keen.”
The Junior Boks were firing on all cylinders against Argentina
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While excited for the final, Foote emphasised that the Junior Boks remain focused on growth and continuous improvement.
“We’ll keep improving, and the thing is that we’ve played some awesome rugby in this tournament. I couldn’t be prouder of this group.
“I told them in the change room [after the Argentina victory] how proud I am – to be on this journey with them is very special. They are absolute warriors and remain humble.”
MORE: Junior Boks showed ‘fighting spirit’
Foote also credited the Sanzaar U20 Rugby Championship as a crucial part of their preparation for the global showpiece
“Some of the northern hemisphere teams have over 2,000 minutes of game time per calendar year for their younger players.
“We want to get as much high-quality game time as possible with our players. The reality is that in the Rugby Championship, we were building towards the World Rugby U20 Championship, using it to build synergy and combinations and so we’re extremely grateful for that tournament.”
The Junior Boks team will be announced on Thursday afternoon.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
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