Junior Boks eye redemption

Skipper Paul de Villiers says the Junior Springboks are eager to ship a efficiency that can depart a legacy for the 2023 staff once they face England in Athlone on Friday.

The groups do battle within the World U20 Championship third-place playoff at Athlone Stadium, and based on De Villiers, the match is just not solely about profitable the bronze medal.

“We actually wish to beat England and end on a excessive observe – that can depart some form of legacy for us as a staff,” mentioned the SA flanker after he took the staff by means of their final coaching session and conventional captain’s observe.

“We’re nonetheless going on the market to characterize our nation and persons are nonetheless paying cash to return and see us play, so we can not disappoint them.

“We had our ups and downs within the match, but when we ship efficiency on Friday, that’s what individuals will keep in mind. So sure, we’re going into this recreation with the win on our minds.

“There are some combined feelings now, this being the final time we’ve educated collectively and me accountable for the so-called captain’s run, however feelings should not going to take us anyplace tomorrow. We should be focussed on what England will deliver to us and the way we’re going to deal with that.”

ALSO: Junior Boks tweak team for playoff

England have received essentially the most deal with turnovers (18) – greater than twice as many as SA (7) – they usually the one staff to have made in extra of 500 passes (520), however they’ve additionally conceded 11.5 penalties on common per match and have had 4 gamers despatched to the sin-bin.

De Villiers was on the sector in June 2022 when the Junior Boks defeated England 30-22 within the Six Nations U20 Summer season Collection in Italy, however match historical past is just not within the hosts’ favour as England received the final 5 encounters earlier than that.

No staff has performed in additional third-place playoffs than SoA (9) and that is the sixth match in a row that they’ve contested the bronze ultimate. They’ve received eight and misplaced as soon as solely in these playoffs, with their solely defeat at this stage of the match coming towards Argentina (49-19) in England in 2016.

De Villiers, in his ninth and final look for the Junior Boks, mentioned stats is not going to deter them of their quest to win the match. SA’s deal with success price is the second finest within the match at 88.7% they usually have the quickest common ruck pace in assault (2.90 seconds), however the Junior Bok captain additionally factors to effort.

“Firstly of the match there was room for hypothesis concerning the potential of the group and what we probably may obtain,” he mentioned.

“There is no such thing as a room for that anymore, time for speaking is completed and we’ve another alternative to talk by means of our actions and energy on the sector. That’s all that basically issues.

“The staff have proven their struggle thus far and we did play some actually good rugby at instances. Sadly additionally, we had poor moments as effectively and tomorrow shall be about delivering a efficiency that shall be worthy for the Junior Springboks and what it represents. For that we should pitch up tomorrow and keep within the recreation till the final minute.”

Picture: @JuniorBoks/Twitter