Junior Boks too strong for Scotland

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The Junior Springboks started their U20 Championship campaign with a 43-19 victory over Scotland U20 in Rosario on Tuesday. DYLAN JACK reports.

It was job done for the South Africans in what was in many ways an impressive start to their campaign. It must be said that this is the easiest game they are going to get, so it was vital that the four-try bonus-point was secured.

However, a re-think at flyhalf might be needed for the tougher games that lie ahead. While James Mollentze, who was mostly utilised at centre in pre-season, is a fine runner of the ball, he hardly dictated the match, and a more commanding flyhalf, who can find space in behind the back three, will be needed in the next two games.

Most of the play came around the rucks off Jaden Hendrikse, and while it certainly worked in this game, they will need to become more multi-dimensional in their attack against Georgia and New Zealand.

One area where the Junior Springboks did impress was in the scrums, while they were dominated by Argentina and Georgia in their pre-season.

A brace from Hendrikse, one try in each half, to go with tries from Francke Horn, JJ van der Mescht and Sanele Nohamba were enough to see the SA U20s get a bonus-point win in an admittedly imposing start to their campaign.

One of the uncanny elements from the match was the combination that seems to be forming between Horn and Hendrikse, with the duo taking turns to be try-scorer and provider in each half.

Scotland dominated much of the second half and made it a nervous finish when a massive maul took them close to the line before Cameron Anderson scored out wide to make it a three-point game in the final 20 minutes.

However, the Junior Boks won a penalty off the ensuing kick-off and continued to pile the pressure on until JJ van der Mescht was able to drive over the line to secure the bonus point. Mollentze then went on a wonderful mazy run and popped the ball on his inside to replacement scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba, who went in under the posts to all but secure the match.

There was a late cameo from Celimpilo Gumede as the replacement forward made a strong run and set up prop Kudzwai Dube for a try after fulltime.

Junior Springboks – Tries: Francke Horn, Jaden Hendrikse (2), JJ van der Mescht, Sanele Nohamba, Kudzwai Dube. Conversions: Hendrikse (3), Nohamba (2). Penalty: Hendrikse
Scotlands U20 –Tries: Murphy Walker, penalty try, Cameron Anderson. Conversion: Ross Thompson.

Junior Springboks – 15 Vaughen Isaacs, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Marnus Potgieter, 12 Rickus Pretorius, 11 Caleb Dingaan, 10 James Mollentze, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Phendulani Buthelezi, 6 Jaco Labuschagne, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 JJ van der Mescht, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 1 Dian Bleuler.
Subs: 16 Dameon Venter, 17 Kudzwai Dube, 18 Keagan Glade, 19 Thabiso Mdletshe, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Dylan Richardson, 22 David Kriel, 23 Sanele Nohamba, 24 Celimpilo Gumede, 25 David Coetzer, 26 Zwelendaba Mnombo, 27 Sibusiso Sangweni, 28 Thaakir Abrahams.

Scotlands U20 –  15 Matt Davidson,  14 Rory McMichael, 13 Cameron Anderson, 12 Grant Hughes, 11 Jack Blain, 10 Ross Thompson, 9 Roan Frostwick, 8 Tom Marshall, 7 Connor Boyle, 6 Marshall Sykes, 5 Cameron Henderson, 4 Ewan Johnson, 3 Euan McLaren, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Murphy Walker.
Subs: 16. Rory Jackson, 17. Andrew Nimmo, 18. Will Hurd, 19. Mak Wilson, 20. Ross Bundy, 21. Jack Hill, 22. Kwagga van Niekerk, 23. Murray Scott, 24. Teddy Leatherbarrow, 25. Nathan Chamberlain, 26. Robbie McCallum, 27. Ollie Smith, 28. Lomond MacPherson.

Photo: Rodrigo Valle/Getty Images

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Dylan Jack