Baby Boks end World Champs on positive note
The South African U20s ended the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship in fifth position on Sunday after outclassing Fiji 104-17 in the battle for fifth place in Treviso.
The Baby Boks scored 16 tries which included a penalty try in a match which saw them play an attracting brand of rugby during the match. Captain Arno Botha ran in a hat-trick of five-pointers while winger Tshotsho Mbovane, centre Jaco Taute and scrumhalf Pieter Rademan each added braces.
The other try scorers for the South Africans were flanker Nizaam Carr, winger Wandile Mjekevu, centre Francois Venter; and replacements Francois Kleinhans, Paul Jordaan and Courtnall Skosan. Eighteen year old flyhalf Johan Goosen kicked 12 conversions and ended the tournament with a total points scoring achievement of 79 points.
“This performance added with the match against Ireland illustrates what this team was capable of doing all along,” said SA U20 coach Dawie Theron.
“We scored 25 tries from our last two matches, and while there’s still disappointment from our side that we failed to at least reach the finals, our recent efforts shows that if it were not for lapses in concentration during periods of this World Champs, we could have gone a lot further.
“But compliments to the players for standing up and showing South Africa what they are made of. We are proud country and a proud rugby nation. We know what we capable of, and the players simply expressed themselves out on the field today.
“The margin for error is this tournament is extremely small, and I still believe that we are much better than where we ended in the tournament. The format and structure of the tournament is of such a nature that no team can afford to take their eye off the ball at any stage of the competition. There is no quarterfinal playoffs in the Junior World Champs unlike the senior World Cup, this underlines that you have to take every scoring opportunity that comes your way.”
Scorers: South Africa U20 – Tries: Arno Botha (3), Tshotsho Mbovane (2), Jaco Taute (2), Pieter Rademan (2), Nizaam Carr, Wandile Mjekevu, Francois Venter, Francois Kleinhans, Paul Jordaan, Courtnall Skosan, Penalty Try; Conversions: Johan Goosen (12). Fiji U20 – Tries: Eliki Sicinilwaw, Semi Radradra; Conversions: Josateki Lalagavesi; Penalty: Lalagavesi.
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