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South Africa slotted a penalty with time expired to defeat Argentina 30-28 on Sunday in Australia. The result means that the Junior Springboks finished second and Los Pumitas third in the inaugural Rugby Championship u20.
The contest between South Africa and Argentina was played on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. The Springboks and Pumas of tomorrow gave it their all in what was truly a slobberknocker. Pumitas left winger Franco Rossetto wrote his name down in history by scoring four tries.
Three of Rossetto’s tries came in the first-half. They were all converted and with it came a 21-7 half-time lead. This was so despite a dream start by the Junior Springboks; center Jurenzo Julius shows good footwork to score in the opening minute.
The response came on the back of an impressive South American scrum. Los Pumitas got the shove on well. The lineout also worked well. However, the forwards did more than lay the framework. Flankers Santos Fernández de Olivera and Juan Penoucos were heavily involved in the first Rossetti try which saw the winger merely providing a support line to score.
Rossetto’s second try came with a brilliant assist from Facundo Rodríguez. The fly half put in a cross-kick for Rossetto to chase and gather as opposite Joel Leotlela was caught out of position. Rodríguez converted for a 14-7 lead.
Scrum-half Tomás Di Biase provided the assist for Rossetti’s third try. From an attacking platform meters out, Di Biase ran to the left and passed to an unmarked Rossetti. Rodríguez landed the sideline conversion.
The Junior Springboks hit-back well in the second-half. Tiaan Jacobs, Castper Badenhorst and Zachary Porthen each scored a try to make it a 27-21 ballgame in favor of South Africa.
A moment of magic then got Los Pumitas back in front. Replacement Jerónimo Llorens sniped like Di Biase and found Rossetto. The winger from Paraná leaped over to down the ball in the try zone inches from the corner flag. Replacement Santino Di Lucca landed the conversion for a 28-27 lead.
It was heartbreak though as Philip-Albert van Niekerk landed a penalty in the final act of the contest. With it came a 30-28 win for the Junior Springboks.
The match and tournament was a warm-up for the World Rugby u20 Championship. Argentina and South Africa are in the same pool. They will be joined by England and Fiji. South Africa will host the tournament from June 29 to July 19.
| SCORING |
SOUTH AFRICA (30)
Try (6) – J Julius (1′); T Jacobs (45′); C Badenhorst (57′); Z Porthen (69′)
Con (2) – PA van Niekerk (2′, 46′)
Pen (2) – PA van Niekerk (67′, 80′ +2)
YC (1) – E Ngobeni (32′)
ARGENTINA (28)
Try (4) – F Rossetto 4 (25′, 32′ 40’+1, 72′)
Con (4) – F Rodríguez 3 (26′, 33′, 40’+2) S Di Lucca (73′)
YC (1) – G Galván (66′)
| LINEUPS |
SOUTH AFRICA
1 Ruan Swart, 2 Juan Smal, 3 Zachary Porthen (capt.), 4 Thomas Dyer, 5 JF van Heerden, 6 Sibabalwe Mahashe, 7 Bathobele Hlekani, 8 Tiaan Jacobs, 9 Ezekiel Ngobeni, 10 Philip-Albert van Niekerk, 11 Litelihle Bester, 12 Joshua Boulle, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 14 Joel Leotlela, 15 Bruce Sherwood
Replacements: 16 Ethan Bester, 17 Liyema Ntshanga, 18 Castper Badenhorst, 19 Thabang Mphafi, 20 Divan Fuller, 21 Asad Moos, 22 Thurlon Williams, 23 JC Mars
ARGENTINA
1 Diego Correa, 2 Juan Greising Revol, 3 Tomás Rapetti, 4 Efraín Elías (capt.), 5 Álvaro García Iandolino, 6 Juan Penoucos, 7 Santos Fernández de Olivera, 8 Ignacio Corrado, 9 Tomás Di Biase, 10 Facundo Rodríguez, 11 Franco Rossetto, 12 Tomás Medina, 13 Faustino Sánchez Valarolo, 14 Timoteo Silva, 15 Benjamín Elizalde
Replacements: 16 Juan Manuel Vivas, 17 Gonzalo Gargallo Bazán, 18 Gael Galván, 19 Luciano Asevedo, 20 Juan Pedro Bernasconi, 21 Jerónimo Llorens, 22 Santino Di Lucca, 23 Tomás Bocco
| MATCH OFFICIALS |
Referee: Dan Waenga (New Zealand)
| MATCH HIGHLIGHTS |
