Junior Springbok captain Siphosethu Mnebelele and flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed have spoken of a tight-knit, disciplined squad environment as the driving force behind the team's march to Saturday's Junior World Championship final against France Under-20 in Tbilisi, which kicks off at 18h30 SA time.
For Mnebelele, playing in his second JWC, the preparation has been straightforward in its focus. "We are well prepared for the final match, and we are all excited to represent South Africa in the final," the hooker said, adding that the squad has kept its attention squarely on the task rather than the occasion. "Our focus is to be ready to take on a very good French side who have demonstrated their abilities by reaching the final."
Ahmed pointed to the role of the broader squad in sustaining that focus throughout the tournament. "Those who are not in the team help the coaches prepare the guys who are playing. We motivate and push each other, and we keep learning and improving with each session."
Coach Kevin Foote has made three changes to the side that beat England in the semi-final.
The Junior Boks go into the final as defending champions, having beaten New Zealand in last year's decider in Italy. A win on Saturday would make it back-to-back titles.
The squad will wear black armbands in memory of former SA Under-18 prop Luqobo Makwedini, who passed away on 10 July following a training session with French club AS Béziers Hérault. The match will be broadcast live on SuperSport.