BOK WITH A BANG

THE Junior Springboks were welcomed back to South Africa on Monday by cheering mense and president of the South African Rugby Union Mark Alexander, after winning the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy on Saturday.

The SA U20s, under the leadership of coach Kevin Foote, ended a 13-year wait to reclaim the global crown with a 23-15 victory over the Junior All Blacks in the warme heat of Rovigo.

Alexander wysed: “This is a very proud day for rugby in South Africa, and I would like to congratulate Kevin and the team on an outstanding performance in the tournament.

“The group have been welded into a formidable unit over the course of this year and many of them have the potential to go on to higher honours, I am sure.

“Their victory is a tribute to all the hard work done at high-school level by educators and coaches, and at our provincial unions from whom these players are drawn.

“Appointing a coach in Kevin, who has franchise experience, was also an important part of the progress this group have shown, and I would like to commend him, his backroom team, and the high-performance department at SA Rugby for what they have achieved in such a short space of time.”

The Junior Boks last won the title in 2012 with a home victory over the same opponents innie Kaap, but had a long wait for a repeat success having not appeared in another final since 2014.

They led in the final from the third minute and tries by Xola Nyali and Gilermo Mentoe, as well as 13 points from the boot of Vusi Moyo, secured victory.

Moyo finished the tournament as the top points’ scorer with 63, while Haashim Pead scored six tries, placing him second for the most five-pointers.