Baby Boks Clinch U20 World Title in Historic Victory

South Africa Ends 13-Year Championship Drought Against New Zealand

South Africa’s U20 rugby team, the Baby Boks, have finally broken their 13-year championship drought, securing a hard-fought 23-15 victory over New Zealand in the World Rugby U20 Championship final. The triumph, achieved at Stadio Mario Battaglini in Rovigo, marks a significant milestone for the nation’s junior rugby program.

Baby Boks Show Grit and Power

The Baby Boks demonstrated a formidable blend of forward power and attacking flair to overcome their rivals. Despite a flurry of errors from both sides, particularly as fatigue set in during the latter stages, South Africa’s resilience shone through. Captain Riley Norton, visibly emotional after the match, described the win as the proudest moment of his career.

“It is something we will cherish it for a long time to come. We said we have to show up physically, and the guys did that for 80 minutes.”

—Riley Norton, Baby Bok Captain

South Africa established early dominance, with Xola Nyali scoring the opening try from a powerful driving maul. They then displayed exceptional defensive organization, repelling repeated New Zealand attacks. While New Zealand responded with a clever line-out move for Jayden Sa‘s try, South Africa maintained the pressure.

Tense Second Half Sees South Africa Pull Away

The first half saw both teams exchange penalties, with Vusi Moyo converting three for South Africa, while New Zealand added three points through Rico Simpson. The match was characterized by intense defensive efforts and limited space, with temporary numerical advantages due to yellow cards for both Mosese Bason of New Zealand and South Africa’s Albertus Bester. At halftime, South Africa held a narrow 13-5 lead.

New Zealand started the second half strongly, narrowing the gap with a penalty. However, South Africa’s scrum began to exert significant control. After a disallowed try for Haashim Pead, South Africa pressed their advantage, culminating in a moment of brilliance from Pead. His perfectly placed kick ahead was gathered and scored by Gilermo Mentoe, extending the lead to 23-8. A late consolation try from Maloni Kunawave was not enough to deny South Africa their historic victory.

This victory ends a 13-year wait for the U20 title for South Africa, with their last triumph coming in 2012. This achievement echoes the Springboks’ 2023 Rugby World Cup win, highlighting a resurgence in South African rugby at all levels.

Argentina Secures Third Place in Thrilling Encounter

In the third-place playoff, Argentina claimed a dramatic 38-35 victory over France. Despite trailing for periods of the match, Los Pumitas mounted a fierce second-half comeback, scoring five tries, including four from their powerful driving maul. Argentina captain Felipe Ledesma expressed immense pride in his team’s performance and their ability to make history.

“We always knew the potential we had so I’m very proud of my team. We worked so hard for this win. We made history. That was what we proposed and we achieved that. It’s unforgettable.”

—Felipe Ledesma, Los Pumitas Captain

Australia Dominates England in Fifth-Place Playoff

Australia secured fifth place with a resounding 68-40 win against England, avenging their earlier pool-stage defeat. The match was a high-scoring affair, with Australia’s attack proving too potent for the English defense.

Other notable results included Ireland’s narrow 38-37 victory over Spain in the eleventh-place playoff, and Georgia’s 22-7 win against Scotland for ninth place. Wales fell to Italy 31-23 in the seventh-place playoff.