The Junior Springboks beat a Maties Invitational XV 41-14 in Stellenbosch on Tuesday.
SA U20 outscored the hosts five tries to two, but were made to work hard for their victory.
Coach Dawie Theron's charges were quick out of the blocks and opened up a 10-0 lead courtesy of flyhalf Curwin Bosch's drop goal and a converted try by winger S'busiso Nkosi.
Maties reduced the deficit with a try from a charge-down, but conceded a second try to centre JT Jackson to trail 15-7 at the break.
The intensity of the contest continued into the second half and it took three penalties from Bosch to stretch the Junior Boks' lead. And although Maties hit back swiftly with another converted effort, it was a three-try burst in the last 10 minutes – from scrumhalf James Hall, No 8 Junior Pokomela and centre Franco Naudé – that set the Junior Boks apart.
'The score is pleasing, but we made too many errors, which we cannot afford in the World Championship,' said Theron. 'We have a lot of skill in the team, but forcing passes does not necessarily pay off. We have to work on the passing and a few other areas, but it is a positive that we have a lot to work on, as we would like to improve as much as possible as a team.'
The team will travel to George on Thursday morning where they will prepare for Saturday's clash against SWD in Oudtshoorn.
Junior Boks – 15 Manie Libbok (Blue Bulls), 14 S’busiso Nkosi (Sharks), 13 Jeremy Ward (c, Eastern Province), 12 JT Jackson (Blue Bulls), 11 Mosolwa Mafuma (Free State), 10 Curwin Bosch (Eastern Province), 9 Marco Jansen van Vuren (Golden Lions), 8 Junior Pokomela (Eastern Province), 7 Ernst van Rhyn (Western Province), 6 Zain Davids (Western Province), 5 Eduard Zandberg (Western Province), 4 Cobus Wiese (Western Province), 3 Jaco Holtzhausen (Blue Bulls), 2 Tango Balekile (Eastern Province), 1 Franco van den Berg (Blue Bulls).
Subs: 16 Kwenzo Blose (Free State), 17 Carlü Sadie (Western Province), 18 Nicolaas Oosthuizen (Eastern Province), 19 Denzel Hill (Blue Bulls), 20 Embrose Papier (Blue Bulls), 21 Edwill van der Merwe (Western Province), 22 Stedman Gans (Blue Bulls), 23 Franco Naude (Blue Bulls), 24 Keanu Vers (Eastern Province).
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
