Junior Springbok captain Siphosethu Mnebele and flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed praised the team environment and work ethic on the eve of their Junior World Championship final against France Under-20 in Tbilisi on Saturday evening. The defending champions, who lifted the trophy last year against New Zealand in Italy, kick off at 18h30 SA time.
Mnebele, playing in his second JWC, kept his message simple ahead of the decider. "We are well prepared for the final match, and we are all excited to represent South Africa in the final," the hooker said. He echoed coach Kevin Foote's emphasis on maintaining focus, adding that the players have kept their attention firmly on the task at hand. "This is a new group, essentially, and our focus is only on the game and nothing else. 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 squad's unity as the foundation of their march to the final. "Our coaching staff and medical team have been awesome in preparing us, not only for this match, but for the entire time that we've been together," the flyhalf said. "They make it a really good environment for us, and all the boys are so focused and disciplined in their preparation and recovery." The Junior Bok playmaker highlighted the collective effort throughout the tournament, noting that players outside the matchday squad have contributed to preparation sessions. "It is really a team effort every day that we spend together. 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."