The defending champion Junior Springboks booked their place in the Junior World Championship final after hammering England in Tbilisi on Monday.
Winger Khuthadzo Rasivhaga grabbed a hat-trick as Kevin Foote’s charges ran in seven tries, and flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed scored 23 points, to triumph 53-37, having trailing 20-12 at half-time at Avchala Stadium.
The Junior Boks will face France in the decider on Saturday after the French edged New Zealand 26-22 in the first semi-final of the day.
England struck first through tighthead prop Ollie Streeter, who rumbled over off a strong maul, before flyhalf Hugh Shields kicked and scored to open up a 10-point cushion.
The Junior Boks hit back through Ahmed and Rasivhaga, but Shields’ boot kept the English ahead.
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Flanker Seb Kelly’s red card for a head-butt on Junior Boks fullback Luan Giliomee reduced England to 14 men before the break, and the South Africans fought back from their first-half deficit with venom.
They seized control after the restart, Rasivhaga completing his hat-trick and openside flank Kebotile Maake crossing twice, while Giliomee’s breaks upfield created a string of scores.
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Flanker Luke Cannon added another before Ahmed’s monster penalty from the halfway line brought up the half-century for South Africa.
England rallied through replacement Johnny Weimann, No 6 Tate Williams and a second Shields try, while a Giliomee yellow card was upgraded to a 20-minute red for a dangerous aerial challenge on opposite number George Pearson, but the damage had been done.
JUNIOR SPRINGBOKS – Tries: Yaqeen Ahmed, Khuthadzo Rasivhaga (3), Kebotile Maake (2), Luke Cannon. Conversions: Ahmed (6). Penalties: Ahmed (2).
ENGLAND – Tries: Ollie Streeter, Hugh Shields (2), Johnny Weimann, Tate Williams. Conversions: Shields (3). Penalties: Shields (2).
Photo: Tamuna Kulumbegashvili/World Rugby
The post Junior Boks bash England to reach final appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
The defending champion Junior Springboks booked their place in the Junior World Championship final after hammering England in Tbilisi on Monday.
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