The SA U18s are the only unbeaten team left in the U18 International Series after victory over France on Tuesday, while England broke the SA A side’s hearts with a last-gasp win.
In the first game of the day at Paarl Gymnasium, England staged a late fightback and secured a penalty goal after the buzzer for the 36-34 triumph that looked unlikely at the break.
The visitors finished the game strongly and were full value for their victory, although the SA side were left wondering how they let slip a big lead at the end of the first half, when they seemed to be in control of the match.
In the end, England scored five tries to four, with four of the visitors’ five-pointers coming after the break as they raised the tempo and spread the ball at every opportunity on a day made for running rugby.
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But, in the second match, the SA U18s had too much class for the French, with wing Sha-Jehaan de Jongh and outside centre Litelihle Bester scoring two tries apiece, while Thurlon Williams landed eight from his nine attempts at goal for a contribution of 19 points.
After the teams traded early penalty goals, the South Africans found their attacking groove and had their opponents under the pump for 10 minutes – scoring four tries.
First, De Jongh went over close to the tryline before Bester finished an intercept under the sticks. Inside centre Bruce Sherwood scored next, again from a good move down the left by De Jongh, before scrumhalf Steven Nel dotted down.
The game lost a bit of structure and a few players were injured, but that didn’t stop the visitors from persisting with attacking intent. They were finally rewarded on the stroke of half time when No 8 Sialevailea Tolofua went over from a counter-attack, with No 12 Kalvin Gourgues adding the extras to make it 29-10.
Despite losing players to injury, the SA pack grew in stature and turned the screws on their opponents in both the set pieces and at the breakdowns.
Williams added two penalty goals early in the second half before De Jongh and Bester completed their braces. France finally crossed the whitewash for their second try with just under 15 minutes to go, left wing Jon Echegaray barging over after a period of sustained attack.
Soon, the hosts were back in their opponents’ half but they weren’t as dominant as earlier, with a yellow card shown to replacement hooker Ethan Bester, but it didn’t detract from a overall convincing 49-17 win.
The tournament ends on Saturday when SA U18 A face France (1pm), with SA U18 taking on against England (3:30pm).
SA U18 49 (29) – Tries: Sha-Jehaan de Jongh (2), Litelihle Bester (2), Bruce Sherwood, Steven Nel. Conversions: Thurlon Williams (5). Penalties: Williams (3).
France 17 (10) – Tries: Sialevailea Tolofua, Jon Echegaray. Conversions: Kalvin Gourgues (2). Penalty: Gourgues.
SA U18 A 34 (20) – Tries: Zukisane Tom, Sesethu Mpaka (2), Gino Cupido. Conversions: Bradley Giddy (4). Penaltiess: Giddy (2).
England 36 (5) – Tries: Will Glister, Will Owen, Billy Sela (2), Ben Redshaw. Conversions: Raff Weston, Rory Taylor (3). Penalty: Taylor.
Photo: @YouthWeeks/Twitter
