[LOOK] Bafana Nhleko: ‘Athlone can free up Boks’
|Published
HOPEFUL: SA’s Bafana Nhleko.Picture credit: Tom Maher
Junior Springboks coach Bafana Nhleko is hoping Athlone Stadium can spark his team to life when they face Argentina in a make-or-break World U20 Championship Pool C clash at 7pm on Tuesday.
South Africa have to beat the log leaders to be sure of a place in the knockout stages, after losing to Italy 34-26 in their last outing.
Nhleko’s team was also not at their best in their first match the 33-23 win over Georgia.
The team has been named for Argentina. Will you be watching? #WorldRugbyu20s pic.twitter.com/8QCTQTQlMT
— Junior Springboks (@JuniorBoks) July 2, 2023
Level on points with Argentina, who have a +8 points difference compared to South Africa’s +2, the battle is on for top spot in the log and an automatic semifinal berth.
Italy, who face Georgia at Paarl Gymnasium at 11am, are also in the running and level on five points with the top two but third on the log with a points difference of -20.
Georgia are one point behind with a points difference of +10.
Nhleko knows that they’ve got it all to do at 7pm and hopes the mooi weer will see them play lekker rugby.
He says: “I think the weather conditions so far in the tournament did not really give our backs any chance to show their worth, but we first have to deliver up front and address our discipline. The weather conditions look promising for Tuesday and the surface at Athlone Stadium is a good one.”
TUESDAY’S U20 FIXTURES
Italy v Georgia (11am), Ireland v Fiji (1.30pm), Australia v England (2pm), New Zealand v Japan (4pm), France v Wales (4.30pm), South Africa v Argentina (7pm).