Junior Boks Gain Valuable Experience in Thrilling Draw Against New Zealand
South Africa’s Under‑20 side, the Junior Boks, played a fiercely contested 29‑29 draw with New Zealand at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, 13 April 2024. The match, watched by an 18,138‑strong crowd, served as a final warm‑up before the team defends its U20 Rugby World Cup title in Georgia from 27 June to 18 July.
Match Highlights
The encounter swung back and forth in the closing minutes, with both sides exchanging leads. South Africa opened the scoring early through a powerful maul, but the All Blacks responded with two quick tries to take a 14‑7 lead. The Junior Boks levelled the score before halftime after a well‑executed set‑piece move that saw scrum‑half Riley Norton dart through a gap.
In the second half, New Zealand regained the advantage with a penalty try, only for South Africa to strike back with a try from winger Jaden van der Merwe. The final minutes saw the lead change three times, culminating in a dropped goal attempt that fell short, leaving the scores locked at 29‑29.
Coach Kevin Foote’s Perspective
Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote praised the physicality displayed by his side, especially in the scrum and at the breakdown.
“I thought the Junior Boks were really good in the scrum. SA prides themselves on our physicality and we did that again and we were physical at the collapse.”
— Kevin Foote, post‑match interview, 13 April 2024
Foote acknowledged that while the set‑piece was solid, the team needs to improve its handling of quick attacks and maintain possession under pressure.
“New Zealand made a few quick attacks and that surprised us a bit.”
He emphasized that the experience gained from facing a top‑tier opponent will be crucial for the upcoming World Cup defence.
“Putting it through the meat grinder during a relentless dogfight against New Zealand will stand the Junior Boks in good stead as they defend their World Cup title in June and July.”
Captain Riley Norton’s Takeaways
Team captain Riley Norton highlighted specific areas for improvement, particularly around ball retention and breakdown efficiency.
- Reducing simple mistakes that gave New Zealand opportunities to slow momentum.
- Developing continuous phases to build sustained pressure.
- Improving decision‑making when facing aggressive, long ball tactics from opponents.
Norton also noted the value of competing against elite sides in the Rugby Championship:
“There are lessons we need to learn and that’s why we host tournaments like this against top opponents.”
Looking Ahead to the U20 Rugby World Cup
South Africa enters the 2024 U20 Rugby World Cup as defending champions, having won the 2023 tournament in Italy. The squad blends experienced players with a wave of newcomers—Foote noted that 11 additional players will be available for next year’s Junior Boks cohort—providing depth that could prove advantageous in Georgia.
The team’s preparation will focus on:
- Maintaining scrum dominance and physicality at the contact.
- Enhancing ball‑security skills to limit opposition turnovers.
- Executing structured attacking patterns that can break down disciplined defences.
With the lessons from the New Zealand draw fresh in their minds, the Junior Boks aim to translate hard‑fought experience into a successful title defence.
Conclusion
The 29‑29 draw against New Zealand served as a rigorous test for South Africa’s Junior Boks, exposing both strengths and areas needing refinement. Coach Kevin Foote and captain Riley Norton agree that the match’s intensity will benefit the squad as they prepare to defend their U20 Rugby World Cup crown. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how the team applies these insights on the world stage in June and July.
