Playing with ferocious power in the forwards and flair in the back division, the Junior Boks launched their Rugby Championship U20 campaign with a hard-fought 36-25 win over Argentina on Thursday.
It was a frenetic, energy-sapping clash, and both teams will be nursing sore and tired bodies on Friday after a bone-jarring battle at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The Boks’ focus in training had been conditioning and set piece play, and they delivered on all counts against a gritty Pumitas outfit.
The crowd of 10,000 supporters were treated to a helter-skelter first half which delivered four tries as both teams attempted to stamp their authority on the clash.
The Boks who drew first blood as flyhalf Kyle Smith booted a penalty after five minutes to settle nerves in the SA camp.
Bok scrumhalf Hashim Pead put his team into a 7-3 lead after 15 minutes when he rounded off an explosive run by Cheswill Jooste.
The end-to-end action continued after 19 minutes when the Pumitas scored their opening try after fullback Pascal Senillosa split the Bok defence.
But the Boks were in no mood to bend to the South Americans and hit back with a second try when Demitre Erasmus scored to put the team 15-10 ahead.
Strong running Argentine wing Beutisto Lescano scored a long-range try to hand Pumitas a 20-15 halftime lead.
The crowd hardly had time to take their seats after the break before Argentina struck with a third try via centre Felipe Ledesma to extend their lead to 25-15 after 41 minutes.
Another penetrating run by the inventive Jooste resulted in scrumhalf Pead crashing over for his second try in the 47th minute.
The Boks were building up a head of steam, and skipper Riley Norton powered his way over to give his team a 27-25 lead after 53 minutes.
Budding wonder wing Gino Cupido joined in on the try-scoring feast and scored the Boks’ fifth try in the 60th minute.
With an early win under the belt, SA will take confidence into their remaining games against Australia on Tuesday and New Zealand next Sunday (May 11) at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The competition comprises a round robin where SA, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand will play each other once across two weeks.
The top team after the third round of the six-match tournament will be declared the winner.
Scorers:
SA 36: Tries: Hashim Pead (2), Demitre Erasmus, Riley Norton, Gino Cupido. Conversions: Kyle Smith (4). Penalty: Smith.
Argentina 25: Tries: Pascal Senillosa, Beutisto Lescano, Felipe Ledesma. Conversions Rafael Benedit (2): Penalties: Benedit (2).
• In the opening match of a double-header, Australia snatched a late 29-29 draw against defending champions New Zealand.
New Zealand started strongly and were rewarded for their early dominance when wing Harlyn Saunoa dived over for a try after a sniping run by livewire scrumhalf Dylan Pledger after five minutes.
Australia fought their way back into the game, and tries from Liam Grover (2) and Sidney Harvey gave them a 17-10 halftime lead.
New Zealand had the crowd on their feet in the 34th minute when fullback Stanley Solomon rounded off a scintillating attacking move with a try in the corner.
The Baby Blacks came out with all guns blazing in the second half and two early tries in the space of three minutes from wing Maloni Kunawaven put his side into a 22-17 lead.
The Wallabies showed great courage to recover from the double blow to emerge with a share of the spoils.
At the death, Lipina Alta scored a try and Harvey held his nerve to slot the all-important conversion to tie the game.
The Herald