Cape Town — The Junior Springboks know they cannot drop their standards in Saturday’s opener of the World Rugby U20 Championship just because they are facing Georgia.
In fact, the home side is bracing for a total onslaught from the Junior Lelos who beat England in a warmup match at the start of June ahead of traveling to South Africa.
The two teams meet in the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch (kickoff 7 PM) as the Baby Boks start their quest to win the U20 title for the first time since 2012 — which also happened on home soil.
It will be key for the home team to break down the Georgians’ pack of forwards early in the game to gain ascendancy, and if they achieve this, it should allow the exciting backline to get running.
But the Junior Springboks are also wary about the weather and pitch conditions in Stellenbosch and how it could possibly play in the favour of the East Europeans.
“They’ve evolved their game quite well if you look at the recent games they’ve played,” Junior Bok coach Bafana Nhleko said of Georgia ahead of the clash.
“But the one thing that never goes away with them is that they identify as a set-piece team. They take massive pride in scrumming. If you look around Europe, mainly France, you see massive Georgian props playing.
“So we are certainly aware that is one area they will target as well, and we have to be ready for that within our team and players.”
Nhleko added that he does not see Georgia trying to spoil his side’s possession with unorthodox tactics and said it’s a bit unfair towards the visitors if they are classified as such.
He pointed out their recent win over England and how they pushed France to the brink in another clash. One of their outside backs Luka Khorbaladze, who plays his club rugby for Lyon in France, has also been called up to the Georgian senior World Cup side and will join the squad after his duties in the U20 Championship.
“They are coming here with the intent to play a positive game of rugby. We haven’t had international games with this particular group, so it is more a case of making sure we can impose ourselves and our plan regardless of what Georgia brings to the party.”
The Baby Boks will be hoping their exciting backline can be unleashed early on in Stellenbosch if the conditions allow it.
They have an exciting halfback pairing of Imad Khan and Jean Smith who have the ability to get the wingers Masande Mtshali, who is a capped Blitzbok, and Jurenzo Julius into space as both will be raring to go in front of their home crowd.
But it will all start up front where captain Paul de Villiers will have to lead an inexperienced pack of forwards towards their goal of playing in the final and winning the Championship on home soil.
Junior Springboks: 15. Hakeem Kunene (uncapped), 14. Jurenzo Julius (uncapped), 13. Katlego Letebele (vice-captain, 2 caps), 12. Ethan Hooker (uncapped), 11. Masande Mtshali (uncapped), 10. Jean Smith (uncapped), 9. Imad Khan (4 caps, 5 points (1 try), 8. Abulele Ndabambi (uncapped), 7. Ghudian van Reenen (uncapped), 6. Paul de Villiers (captain, 4 caps), 5. JF van Heerden (uncapped), 4. Coetzee Le Roux (uncapped), 3. Mawande Mdanda (uncapped), 2. Juann Else (3 caps), 1. Phatu Ganyane (uncapped).
Replacements: 16. SJ Kotze (uncapped), 17. Corne Lavagna (2 caps), 18. Zachary Porthen (uncapped), 19. Jannes Potgieter (uncapped), 20. Gcinokuhle Mdletshe (4 caps), 21. Neil Le Roux (3 caps), 22. Damian Markus (uncapped), 23. Michael Annies (uncapped).
IOL Sport
