Junior Boks: No pressure to replicate 2012

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Head coach Bafana Nhleko says the Junior Springboks won’t have the burden of 2012’s U20 World Championship win on their shoulders when they start their campaign in Stellenbosch on Saturday. DYLAN JACK reports.

For the first time since 2012, the Junior Springboks will be playing in an U20 World Championship on home soil when they take to the field against Georgia on Saturday night at the Danie Craven Stadium.

11 years ago, the Junior Boks claimed a memorable win over New Zealand in the final at Newlands, where the likes of Handre Pollard, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Steven Kitshoff all starred.

That was the last time South Africa won the tournament, as plenty of good teams have come close, only to fall near the final hurdle and have to settle for silver and bronze.

Speaking ahead of their opening fixture of the tournament, coach Nhleko said the Junior Springboks won’t be putting any extra pressure on themselves by looking to 2012.

“I spoke to [lock] JF van Heerden the other day. I think he was nine years old when the team won the tournament in 2012,” said Nhleko. “Some of our guys weren’t even playing rugby on that great day with Handre and the guys.

“For us, and I mean this, we haven’t owned it. We have spoken about the fact that last time we were at home, we won it. But as I said to the players, you can’t put pressure on people if we haven’t won the tournament in 10 years. It’s unrealistic.

“There have been great teams in the past that have come close. For these guys, it’s about writing their own story. Our job as coaches is two-fold. It’s about helping them become players of national interest and getting on the right side of results come 14 July.”

TEAM: Junior Boks back veterans for opener

Nhleko included four capped players in the starting lineup to face Georgia, including captain Paul de Villiers, vice-captain and centre Katlego Letebele, hooker Juan Else and scrumhalf Imad Khan.

Georgia come into the tournament flying high after a memorable win over England U20 in Tiblisi, and Nhleo expects the visitors to threaten from all over the park.

“They’ve evolved quite well. If you look at their recent games, the way they want to play. The one thing that never goes away with them is that they identify as a massive set-piece team. They take pride in scrumming. If you look around Europe and mainly France, you see a lot of Georgian props. We are aware of the fact that it is one area they will target. We have to be ready for that. 

“They beat England and had a good game against France. They have two exciting outside backs who are part of the senior national World Cup squad. They will come with an intent to play positive rugby.

“From our side, we haven’t had international games with this particular group. It’s more a case of making sure that we impose ourselves and our plan regardless of what Georgia brings to the party.”

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

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