South Africa: Junior Boks Edge Past Argentina to Seal Semifinal Spot in Under-20 Championship

4 July 2023
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
analysis By Keanan Hemmonsbey

South Africa will face Ireland in the semifinals of the Under-20 Championship after victory over Argentina on Tuesday.

South Africa qualified for the semifinals of the World Rugby Under-20 Championship after an edgy 24-16 win over Argentina at Cape Town's Athlone Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The home side will face Ireland in the first semifinal at Athlone Stadium on Sunday, after Ireland thumped Fiji 47-27 at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch earlier in the day.

France and England will play in the other semifinal, also at the Athlone Stadium on Sunday.

The swirling wind meant South Africa's match against Argentina was always going to be a match of two halves, and so it proved as Argentina took a 16-7 lead into halftime -- playing with the strong wind behind their backs.

But a charged-up Junior Boks side came out and showed their mettle in front of a rousing crowd to keep Argentina scoreless in the second stanza.

Clumsy first half

The Junior Springboks struggled at their set pieces early again, as they did against Italy and Georgia in their other Pool C matches.

Argentina flyhalf Valentino Dicapua made the home side pay with his accurate boot, slotting three penalties to give his side a 9-0 lead as he capitalised on SA's errors.

South Africa barely got going...

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