New Zealand Under 20: 29 (Dane Johnston, Oliver Guerin, Caleb Woodley, Finn McLeod, Penalty Try; Mika Muliaina con) South Africa Under 20: 29 (Akahluwa Boqwana 2, Rambo Kubheka, Sam Bardenhorst tries; Yaqeen Ahmed 3 cons, pen) HT: 15-22
South Africa dethroned New Zealand as Under 20 Rugby Championship champions, but a 29-29 draw was an honourable result at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).
The hosts sealed the title in the 41st minute when centre Sam Bardenhorst scored the fourth Junior Springboks try, giving South Africa the bonus point needed to secure the silverware.
New Zealand demanded improvement after the loss to Argentina and delivered a vastly better performance against the world champions.
The opening quarter were New Zealand's best minutes on the tour, scoring three unconverted tries to take a 15-8 lead.
Deception at the lineout untangled South Africa in the seventh minute. New Zealand didn’t jump five meters out; instead, hooker Josh Findlay fired the ball flat to Canterbury teammate Max Fale, and Fielding prop Dane “The Rock” Johnston barrelled around the corner to score.
South Africa quickly responded when Yaqeen Ahmed skip-passed to Badenhorst, creating a yawning hole. Akahluwa Boqwana was too quick on the wing.
New Zealand regained momentum with tries from Oliver Guerin and Caleb Woodley. Guerin was set up by a delightful Siale Pahulu left foot jab, while Woodley took the less attractive route to the line, attached to the back of a maul.
South African captain Riley Norton was the leading tackler in the championship and a menace in the lineouts. He inspired the Junior Springboks to raise their belligerent forward play, and soon prop Rambo Kubheka mauled over with a sideline conversion to fullback Yaqeen Ahmed tying the scores.
No.8 Kebotile Maake was denied a try after openside Wasi Vyambwera obstructed to create a gap. But following three collapsed mauls, Boqwana scored from a change in tactic, a kick-pass.
Badenhorst’s try a minute after the interval made it 29-15. It came from three swift passes that created space. At this point, South Africa could have emulated their crushing victories against Argentina 48-21 and Australia 56-17.
Instead, in the 48th minute Finn McLeod rumbled over close to the posts for a converted try that closed the gap to 29-22. Then South Africa became wayward and jittery as their giant forwards fatigued, while New Zealand’s bench - especially Logan Williams, Micah Fale, Jackson Hughan, and David Lewai - injected spark.
Their good work threatened to unravel in the 67th minute when Palu was sent off for an unfortunate head collision. But New Zealand was galvanised further. Guerin was unlucky to be denied a try; unclear whether he grounded a kick rolling towards the dead-ball line.
In the 77th minute New Zealand was direct and patient in their attack. When the chance to expand occurred, they created an overlap that South African winger Jack Benade spotted. His attempt to intercept was ruled a deliberate knock on, and a penalty try was rightly called; 29-29.
A minute later Mika Muliana had a late chance to win the game for New Zealand when Fale won a jackal, but unfortunately the Southlander missed wide to the right.
In a sign of respect to New Zealand, fading South Africa kicked the ball out near halfway to end proceedings.
The World Rugby Junior World Championship is set to be staged in Tbilisi and Kutaisi, Georgia from June 27 to July 18. New Zealand still has a lot of work to do but can take considerable heart from this effort. The last time the World Championship was in Georgia, New Zealand won the title with Asafo Aumua, Luke Jacobson, Dalton Papalii, Caleb Clarke, Braydon Ennor, and Will Jordan going on to become All Blacks.
The referee was Ella Goldsmith from Australia.
