Junior Springboks run riot against Fiji to snatch second U20 International Series win

Last week, the SA U20s beat Chile by 97-0 and apart from a few soft moments, especially in the second half, they were yet again full value as they step up their preparations for the Junior World Championship, which kicks off in a month.

The Junior Boks conceded a couple of breakdown, a try and two penalty goals, but they still dominated the first half, again mixing up their play between physicality upfront and slick attack at the back, while they were also dominant at the scrum and lineouts.

Such was their dominance, that the SA U20s scored eight converted tries before the break, with Luan Giliomee crossing in the second and 41st minutes, while Gert Kemp was driven over twice from lineouts, with the Fijians providing hardly any resistance.

Quintin Potgieter also scored from a lineout drive before Christian Vorster and Luke Cannon added their names to the first-half score sheet to make it 28-5 after 21 minutes.

JD Hattingh's 37th minute maul try was almost a carbon copy of Kemp's two efforts in the eight minutes before, and to add insult to injury, SA U20 captain Vusi Moyo was perfect from the tee.

Giliomee completed his hat-trick early in the second half, but it was clear the Fijians were given a proper half-time talk as they came out firing. The visitors tested the Junior Boks' defence and even won two consecutive scrum penalties, but their finishing in the red zone let them down.

Fifteen minutes after the break, the Junior Boks scored their second try of the half when Bongani Dlamini crashed over after some fluent attacking play, as the Fijian revival seemed to be over.

Luann Olivier then went over, again from a rolling maul, with Moyo's 10th conversion bringing up 75 points for the SA U20s, who had now clearly taken back control of the match.

It was short-lived though as Fiji bounced back, working their way upfield before referee Dylen November awarded the visitors a penalty try for a maul infringement from Altus Rabe, who was duly sent to the sin-bin.

Parity in player numbers was restored a bit later when a Fijian player was red carded for a dangerous tackle, and from the resulting penalty, Jaythen Orange scored a well-deserved try, the Junior Boks' 12th five-pointer with 10 minutes to go.

Apete Rokosuka scored Fiji's third try when he went over in the right hand corner, but that was the last score of the match in which the visitors can hold their heads high for their second-half effort.

In the first match of the day, Georgia beat a resurgent Chile by 59-26. On Saturday, the final round of matches will be played at Paul Roos Gymnasium's Markotter Stadium in Stellenbosch. At 14h30, the SA U20s take on Georgia, while Fiji and Chile will bring the U20 International Series to a close when their match kicks off at 16h30.

Scorers:

Junior Springboks 82 (56) - Tries: Luan Giliomee (3), Quintin Potgieter, Christian Vorster, Luke Cannon, Gert Kemp (2), JD Hattingh, Bongani Dlamini, Luann Olivier, Jaythen Orange. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (11).

Fiji U20 25 (11) - Tries: Suliano Savenaca, Apete Rokosuka, Penalty try. Conversion: Netani Lesimaimatuku. Penalty goals: Sikeli Bari (2).