A relieved Bafana Nhleko praised the preventing spirit of the Junior Springboks after a profitable comeback to beat Argentina within the U20 Rugby Championship on Sunday.
The Junior Boks began strongly on the Sunshine Coast Stadium in Queensland when Jurenzo Julius scored within the opening minute, however couldn’t construct momentum and Argentina hit again with three transformed tries to take a deserved 21-7 half-time lead.
No matter Nhleko and his teaching workers mentioned through the break had the specified impact because the South Africans hit again with three tries – all from tap-and-go penalties – by Tiaan Jacobs, Casper Badenhorst and Zachary Porthen.
The lead modified arms a number of occasions in a tense closing quarter-hour earlier than Los Pumitas went forward 28-27 with 5 minutes left on the clock when Franco Rossetto scored his fourth attempt.
However a last-gasp penalty aim by Philip-Albert van Niekerk after a sequence of ahead onslaughts on the Argentine tryline sealed the 30-28 victory.
Nhleko was delighted that his younger males may safe their first win after a loss to Australia and a draw towards New Zealand, who took the title after ending the match with a 36-25 win towards the hosts.
RECAP: Junior Boks claw again to stun Pumas
“The blokes confirmed nice character, perception and preventing spirit to shake off a disappointing first half,” he mentioned.
“They confirmed glimpses of how we will play to finally win the sport towards a great Argentina facet. I have to additionally reward the management group for the best way they regrouped.
“The preventing spirit and refusal to surrender is a superb attribute of the facet and it bodes effectively for us as now that we head house to finish our preparations for the forthcoming World Rugby U20 Championship.”
Nhleko bemoaned a irritating first half for the SA U20s, who allowed Argentina to grab the momentum and initiative after an excellent opening spell at first of the match.
“We discovered ourselves in a really deep gap within the first half, frustratingly extra from our personal doing and we needed to tweak just a few issues throughout half time,” he defined.
“The gamers responded effectively as we managed the sport higher within the second half and imposed our techniques on Argentina, which allowed us to construct momentum from the place we may rating.
“Within the earlier two video games, we had been main within the seventy fifth minute however ended on the fallacious facet and in the present day, we had been behind but managed to discover a approach, which reveals progress. Credit score to Argentina although, they made it tough for us particularly within the lineouts, however I used to be proud of how stopped and dealt with their harmful maul, which is their power supply.
“We’ll take some confidence from this outcome, however there’s plenty of room for enchancment. We’ll continue to learn via our opinions and proceed to work exhausting in coaching once we assemble once more in Stellenbosch.”
The Junior Boks return to the Republic on Monday and can regroup once more on the finish of the month to finish their preparations for the U20 Championship, which is able to once more be staged throughout venues in and round Cape City.
Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Pictures