Unity Drives Junior Bok Class of 2026

The Junior Springbok captain Siphosethu Mnebele and flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed praised the team’s environment and work ethic ahead of their Junior World Championship final against France Under-20 on Saturday evening in Tbilisi. The final, in which the Junior Boks aimed to defend the title they won last year against New Zealand in Italy, kicked off at 18h30 SA time and was broadcast live on SuperSport.

Mnebele’s message before the JWC decider was straightforward: “We are well prepared for the final match, and we are all excited to represent South Africa in the final.” The Junior Bok hooker, playing in his second JWC, echoed sentiments from SA U20 coach Kevin Foote, emphasizing that the players remained focused on the upcoming game. “This is a new group, essentially, and our focus is only on the game and nothing else,” Mnebele stated. He acknowledged the strong challenge posed by the French side, who earned their place in the final.

Throughout the tournament, the players continuously spoke about growth, collective effort, and staying present in every challenge. Ahmed highlighted the welcoming team environment and robust work ethic as critical for leading the team to the final. “Our coaching staff and medical team have been awesome in preparing us, not only for this match, but for the entire time that we’ve been together,” the Junior Bok flyhalf remarked. “They make it a really good environment for us, and all the boys are so focused and disciplined in their preparation and recovery.”

Ahmed believed that the strength of the squad came from its unity and a shared passion for playing for South Africa: “It is really a team effort every day that we spend together. Those who are not in the team help the coaches prepare the guys who are playing. We motivate and push each other, and we keep learning and improving with each session, whether that’s a training session or a technical meeting.

“We have 80 minutes left of this campaign, and we will give it our absolute best. Personally, I’m very grateful to be here as part of this group representing our country and the Junior Boks.”

Additionally, it was confirmed that the Junior Boks would wear black armbands on Saturday as a mark of respect and remembrance for former SA Under-18 prop Luqobo Makwedini, who passed away on 10 July after a training session with his French club, AS Béziers Hérault.