By 
TBILISI — Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote has lauded his side’s tactical composure and lethal attacking intent after a resilient fight back against Wales secured South Africa’s spot in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship semi-finals.
Despite a sluggish start at the Avchala Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, the Junior Boks roared back from an early 14-0 deficit to claim a convincing 52-33 victory, topping Pool A with a flawless bonus-point record.
Overcoming an Early Scare
The South African U20s were caught off guard in the opening 11 minutes by a spirited Welsh outfit that capitalised on a passive start from the boys in green and gold. However, once Foote’s men settled into their rhythm, they responded with an unanswered scoring blitz to hold a 26-14 advantage at the interval.
“We were a little bit passive in the beginning,” Foote admitted post-match. “But once we got into the game and built some momentum, I thought we created some really good try-scoring opportunities. There was a lot of attacking intent and the players showed good composure to take control of the match.”
Pack Lays the Foundation
A dominant South African pack proved decisive in shifting the momentum. While the set-piece suffered minor hiccups, the forwards consistently secured the front-foot ball required to dismantle the Welsh defensive line.
“There were a couple of scrum penalties against us, but overall, I thought the pack did really well,” said Foote. “They worked hard throughout the game, gave us good front-foot ball and helped us get the result over the line.”
Sharp Focus Ahead of England Clash
While securing 15 maximum points from three Pool A outings represents a perfect start, Foote remains grounded. With a high-stakes semi-final on the horizon, the tactician highlighted ball retention and defensive discipline as primary areas of concern.
“From a defensive perspective and in terms of ball retention, there are definitely things we need to work on. We’ll review the game, look closely at some of the turnovers and make sure we’re sharper going into the semis,” he noted.
The Junior Boks now turn their attention to a heavyweight knockout clash against England, who advanced alongside powerhouse nations New Zealand and France.
“We’ve achieved our first objective by coming through the pool stages,” Foote concluded. “Some of these players have experienced knockout rugby at this tournament before, so we’ll draw on that experience and look forward to the challenge ahead.”
The semi-finals will take place on Monday, 13 July, in Tbilisi. New Zealand face France in the early kickoff, while the Junior Boks will battle England at 18h30 (SA time) for a coveted place in the final.
