Mthethwa Praises Junior Boks for Resilience After Semi-Final

Melusi Mthethwa, the Junior Springboks assistant coach, praised the composure and belief shown by the South Africa U20s after they fought back from an eight-point first-half deficit to beat England, securing their place in the Junior World Championship final against France. The Junior Boks trailed 20-12 at half-time after England made a strong start, putting them under pressure in a fiercely contested semi-final. However, a much-improved second-half display enabled the SA U20s to take control of the match and achieve a memorable 53-37 victory.

Mthethwa, who coaches the team's attack, expressed satisfaction with how the players handled England's early pressure before responding with greater precision in the second half. "We knew the first half was going to be very, very tough," he said. "They had a plan and they tried to stop us, and they did that very well. Credit to the boys – they handled that well."

The message at half-time was clear, as Junior Bok coaches encouraged players to trust their preparation and maintain accuracy instead of desperately chasing the game. "At half-time we identified a few opportunities we needed to take," Mthethwa explained. He added that the players' ability to stay calm under scoreboard pressure was particularly commendable: "We spoke about our detail and accuracy, and the guys responded very well."

This belief translated into a strong second-half performance where Khuthadzo Rasivhaga scored three tries, helping South Africa to convert pressure into points. Rasivhaga indicated that they had anticipated an aggressive start from England and recognized the necessity to remain competitive. "We spoke about it during the week and we knew England were going to come hard in that first 40 minutes," he stated, noting their need to contain England and stay patient during the match. "We weren’t as accurate as we wanted to be in the first half, but we started the second half much better, and we took our opportunities."

Despite his scoring contributions, Rasivhaga was quick to credit the efforts of the forwards, emphasizing the collective teamwork that allowed the Junior Boks to capitalize on their chances. "The forwards did a fantastic job. We’ve worked hard together during the week, and they did exactly what was required. They gave us good ball and created the platform for us to play."

On Tuesday, the Junior Boks enjoyed a rest day from training while participating in a World Rugby coaching clinic with local youth players. They plan to resume training on Wednesday in preparation for the final against France on Saturday.