Coach Kevin Foote and captain Riley Norton praised the Junior Springboks’ defence after Monday’s World Rugby U20 semi-final victory against Argentina.
South Africa won 48-24 in Viadana to book their place in Saturday’s final against New Zealand, who beat France 34-26.
The Junior Boks scored six tries, including four in the first half for a 28-10 lead at the break – but were forced to defend more in the second as Los Pumitas came storming back through their forwards and a rampant rolling maul.
Foote credited his team’s fighting spirit during that period.
“Every player gave his all, leading exceptionally well in his respective position.
“Their collective effort is a testament to their hard work and alignment, with the leadership group setting the tone. I believe they are a truly humble group, and we’re well aware of how much effort we’ve put in leading up to this tournament.
“It was a very tough and physical match, and the conditions were extremely challenging with the humidity, but I must give credit to our players for their performance. They were rewarded for their hard work against a strong Argentinian side.”
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Norton echoed his coach’s sentiment on their defensive effort.
“I think our defence has improved tremendously from the Rugby Championship; we’ve had valuable time together during that tournament and working on it more coming into this event in Italy.
“I am just so incredibly proud of the team for an outstanding effort against a tough opponent.
“We know Argentina get their energy from their set piece. They are a great mauling side so when they get on top of you, you just have to manage it and keep on fighting. The players just stayed in the fight and focused on the next job and that’s why we could defend for such a long period.”
Saturday’s final in Rovigo will kick off at 8.30pm.
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