Junior Boks left wing Joel Leotlela scores a try during their U20 Rugby Championship match against New Zealand U20s in Australia on Thursday. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images
The Junior Springboks and New Zealand U20s battled out a thrilling 13-all draw in the opening match of the inaugural U20 Rugby Championship at the Sunshine Coast Stadium in Bokarina, Queensland in Australia on Thursday.
It was a deserved result in the end after the NZ U20s initially controlled play, taking a good lead early in the second half before the Junior Boks came storming back, leading to a thrilling finish.
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A huge storm half an hour before kick-off made for absolutely dreadful conditions, with an extremely water logged pitch making things difficult for both teams who looked intent to run the ball during the first half.
Both teams were guilty of trying to run the ball too much, which led to a slew of handling errors in the first 40, which saw a massive forward battle waged with countless scrums taking place.
The Junior Boks and New Zealand both earned kickable penalties early, but chose to go for the corner, but neither team could capitalise, and it took until the 30th minute for the deadlock to be broken by fullback Issaac Hutchinson putting NZ U20s into a 3-0 lead.
Another penalty almost in front after the halftime hooter gave New Zealand a chance to stretch their lead, but after the ball was blown off the tee it rushed the kicker and he pushed the effort wide, leaving it a three point difference at the break.
New Zealand got off to a strong start in the second half and were rewarded in the 53rd minute with the first try of the match.
Attacking from a scrum in the Junior Boks 22m, New Zealand spread the ball quick, with replacement back Rico Simpson sending a perfect cut out pass to left wing Stanley Solomon to go over in the corner to give them an 8-0 lead.
That score finally sparked the Junior Boks to life and they hit back superbly to power into the lead, as first flyhalf Tyler Sefoor got them on the board with an easy penalty in the 57th minute.
Two minutes later a kick into New Zealand’s half was made a mess of, allowing Junior Bok replacement hooker Ethan Bester to jump on the ball and pop it up for inside centre Bruce Sherwood to run into the 22m and offload to right wing Joel Leotlela to go over next to the uprights.
Sefoor added the conversion and then slotted a 63rd minute penalty, which saw the Junior Boks make a complete turnaround in just six minutes as they took a 13-8 lead.
Sefoor had a chance to push the Junior Boks into an eight point lead in the 72nd minute, but his penalty on the 22m from an angle was pushed wide.
This left the door open for the New Zealand U20s and after a yellow card to replacement lock JF van Heerden in the 73rd minute for cynical play in his own 22m on defence, it allowed the NZ U20s to make use of the extra man as right wing Frank Vaenuku went over in the corner.
Simpson, who was again involved in the try with another lovely skip pass, however missed the conversion which left the sides deadlocked over the final two minutes of the game.
New Zealand U20: Tries – Stanley Solomon, Frank Vaenuku; Penalty – Isaac Hutchinson
South Africa U20: Try – Joel Leotlela; Conversion – Tyler Sefoor; Penalties – Sefoor (2)
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