Junior Springboks defeat England 53‑37 to reach U20 World Cup final
The South African Under‑20 side secured a place in the Rugby U20 World Cup final after a commanding second‑half performance against England in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Tuesday. A 53‑37 victory overturned a 20‑12 halftime deficit and set up a showdown with France, who earlier beat New Zealand 26‑22 in the other semi‑final.
First half: England strike early, South Africa struggle to find rhythm
England opened the scoring in the fourth minute when Ollie Streeter dived over for a try, converted by Hugh Shields to make it 7‑0. The Junior Boks responded quickly; Ethan Adams powered a drive that allowed Yaqeen Ahmed to touch down and level the scores at 7‑7 after his conversion.
Shields then added a penalty goal and a second try (also converted) to push England ahead 17‑7. The momentum shifted again when Seb Kelly received a permanent red card for a headbutt on Luan Giliomee, leaving England with 14 men. Shortly after, Khuthadzo Rasivhaga finished a move orchestrated by Ahmed to score the Boks’ second try, though the conversion missed.
A second penalty from Shields extended England’s lead to 20‑12 at the break, a scoreline that reflected South Africa’s handling errors, misplaced options and a dead penalty that hampered their attacking flow.
Second half: Boks unleash a relentless attack
Coach Chean Roux’s halftime talk appeared to ignite the side. The Junior Boks scored four unanswered tries in the opening 13 minutes of the second half:
- Rasivhaga’s second try, set up by Giliomee’s incisive run.
- Kebotile Maake’s first try, quickly followed by his second.
- Ahmed’s conversion of Maake’s second try, pushing the score to 33‑20.
- Rasivhaga completed his hat‑trick in the 53rd minute, finishing in the corner after a well‑worked phase play.
Ahmed’s flawless kicking (six conversions and two penalty goals) added 23 points to his personal tally, while Luke Cannon added a try and conversion to extend the lead to 50‑32. A late yellow card for Giliomee—upgraded to a 20‑minute red after a clumsy aerial challenge—left South Africa a man down, but England could only manage a consolation try from Hugh Shields and a penalty from Shields, leaving the final margin at 53‑37.
Key performers and statistics
According to the official match report from SA Rugby (SA Rugby, 2025), the try scorers were:
- Yaqeen Ahmed – 1 try, 6 conversions, 2 penalty goals (23 points)
- Khuthadzo Rasivhaga – 3 tries
- Kebotile Maake – 2 tries
- Luke Cannon – 1 try, 1 conversion
England’s points came from Ollie Streeter, Hugh Shields (2 tries, 3 conversions, 2 penalties), Jonny Weimann and Tate Williams.
Road to the final
The Junior Springboks are defending the U20 World Cup title they won in 2023. Their semi‑final victory over England marks their second consecutive appearance in the final, showcasing a blend of experienced campaigners and emerging talent. France, meanwhile, earned their place with a narrow 26‑22 win over New Zealand, setting up a tantalising clash of two Southern Hemisphere powerhouses.
As the team prepares for Saturday’s final, the coaching staff will likely address the disciplinary issue that saw Giliomee miss the match‑deciding minutes, while building on the attacking fluidity displayed in the second half.
Sources: SA Rugby match centre, World Rugby U20 World Cup 2025 official statistics.
