Junior Boks focus on maintaining standards

The Junior Springboks will go into Tuesday’s decisive Junior World Championship Pool A clash against Wales with their focus firmly on responsibility, trust and the standards they have set for themselves as a group.

The match starts at 4pm (SAST) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

With both teams unbeaten after two rounds, the encounter at the Avchala Stadium has all the makings of a knockout contest, with top spot in Pool A and a place in the semi-finals at stake.

The SA U20s enter the fixture at the top of the pool standings after collecting 10 points from their opening victories over Uruguay and hosts Georgia, while Wales are just one point behind after also making an unbeaten start to the tournament.

However, for Junior Bok captain Siphosethu Mnebelele and fellow front row forward Oliver Reid, the build-up has focused less on log permutations and more on maintaining the culture and standards that have helped the South Africans build momentum.

For Reid, like Mnebelele in his second season with the Junior Boks, leadership starts with accountability.

“Leadership in this side is about taking responsibility for your own actions first,” said Reid, who will be in the starting front row against Wales next to Mnebelele (hooker) and fellow prop Danie Kruger.

“You want to help the younger players where you can, but at the same time you must be open to learning from them as well. We have built an environment where responsibility is shared across the group and everyone contributes.”

That collective mindset has become one of the defining features of the Junior Bok campaign. Reid, who has tasted Vodacom United Rugby Championship action with the DHL Stormers, also pointed to the value of the squad’s depth and the confidence that comes from knowing quality replacements are ready to make an impact when needed.

“One of the strengths of this group is the depth we have and the trust we have in each other,” said Reid. “We know every player has a job to do and it doesn’t matter whether you are starting or coming off the bench. Everyone prepares to contribute and that creates a lot of confidence within the squad.”

The experienced front ranker added that the relationships and combinations built throughout the season and during the JWC have played a significant role in the team’s progress.

“We learn from each other every day,” he said. “Training together and playing together has helped us build strong combinations and that’s important in a tournament where every game becomes more demanding.”

The statistics underline the significance of the contest. South Africa have scored 137 points and 21 tries in their opening two matches while conceding only 12 points, giving them a tournament-leading points difference of +125. Wales have also impressed, scoring 10 tries for a +47 points difference, while establishing themselves as one of the most organised teams in the competition.

Against that backdrop, the role of the forward pack is likely to be crucial. With Mnebelele and Reid among the leaders up front and prominent figures in the tight five, the Junior Boks know that their set-piece execution, physicality at the collision area and discipline will be key factors in determining who advances to the last four.

For Mnebelele, the mood within the camp is clear as they round-up their match preparations for Tuesday evenings’ clash with the Welsh: “The squad is excited for the challenge. We understand what is at stake, but our focus is on producing our best rugby and staying true to the standards we have set for ourselves.”

The match will determine which team tops Pool A, a significant factor because only the four group winners will qualify for the two semi-finals.

Junior Bok starting XV: 15 Alzeadon Felix, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Samuel Badenhorst, 12 Ethan Adams, 11 Khuthadzo Rasivhaga; 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Hendré Schoeman; 8 Vuyo Gwiji, 7 Luke Cannon, 6 Risima Khosa; 5 JD Hattingh, 4 Heinrich Theron; 3 Danie Kruger, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele (capt), 1 Oliver Reid. Replacements: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Rambo Kubheka, 18 Luan van der Berg, 19 Jaythen Orange, 20 Gert Kemp, 21 Jayden Brits, 22 Markus Muller, 23 Jordan Steenkamp.

South Africa v Wales - Tuesday @ Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi (Georgia) (4pm)

Referee: Reuben Keane (RA)

Broadcast: SuperSport