Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote and skipper Riley Norton praised the SA U20 side for fighting back from three to one tries down to draw 29-29 with New Zealand in their final match of the 2026 Under-20 Rugby Championship at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
Riley Norton will lead the Junior Springboks in their 2026 Under-20 Rugby Championship opener against Argentina’s Los Pumitas on Monday, as they aim to make an immediate impact in front of their home crowd in Gqeberha.
The Junior Boks made an injury-forced change to their squad for the 2026 Under-20 Rugby Championship, with Siphosethu Mnebelele replaced by Mahle Sithole for the tournament, which kicks off at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Monday, 27 April.
The Junior Springboks concluded their short tour of Georgia with a 35-5 victory over their hosts on a cold and wet Friday afternoon in Tbilisi, with SA U20 head coach Kevin Foote praising the players’ resilience in the tough conditions.
Riley Norton will lead an exciting Junior Springbok team in the first of two international meetings against Georgia in Tbilisi on Sunday afternoon.
The Junior Springboks are braced for freezing European winter conditions to face physical and abrasive opponents that will test their grit and determination on their forthcoming tour of Georgia and will be looking to use this trip to improve their cohesion and understanding of their game model ahead of the start of the international season.
SA Rugby confirmed on Friday that former Springbok lock Barend Pieterse had been appointed as a lineout and breakdown consultant to the Junior Springbok team for three years.
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The Junior Springboks were welcomed back to South Africa on Monday by cheering fans and Mr Mark Alexander, president of the South African Rugby Union, after winning the World Rugby U20 Championships in Italy.
Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote credited his team’s renowned, trademark South African grit and fighting spirit for their victory over New Zealand in the World Rugby U20 Championship final in Italy.