The Junior Springboks opened their Junior World Championship title defence with a 104-7 dismantling of Uruguay at Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi on Saturday evening, scoring 16 tries in a performance that was 50-0 at the break.
The result extends their winning run at the tournament to seven consecutive matches, equalling their best-ever streak — a run that spanned the 2012 and 2013 editions.
Risima Khosa and Jordan Steenkamp each crossed for hat-tricks, with Khuthadzo Rasivhaga and Jayden Brits both scoring twice. Markus Muller opened the scoring with a quick-tap try inside the first seven minutes, Steenkamp then showed his pace down the left to make it 14-0, and a penalty try — awarded after Uruguay illegally collapsed a driving maul — pushed the lead to 21-0 after 17 minutes. Khosa was driven over from an attacking lineout shortly after, and Ethan Adams added a fifth try from another lineout move to put SA 31-0 up.
Uruguay briefly forced the Junior Boks into a sustained defensive spell inside their own 22, but once possession was regained Steenkamp scored his second. Rasivhaga finished off two late first-half tries on the right, both converted by Luan Giliomee, to send the teams in at 50-0.
The bench sharpened the second-half performance. Cheswill Jooste, Brits and Siphosethu Mnebelele all crossed as replacements within the first 15 minutes of the half. Khosa then completed his hat-trick with two tries in four minutes to make it 83-0 after 62 minutes, Steenkamp added his third eight minutes later, and Gert Kemp's converted effort made it 97-0 with five minutes remaining. Brits' second try brought up the century before Uruguay claimed a consolation try at the death through Sebastian Rivero.
Akahlulwa Boqwana landed six conversions in the second half, while Alzeadon Felix had kicked two in the first.
SCORERS: Junior Springboks 104 (50) — Tries: Markus Muller, Jordan Steenkamp (3), Penalty try, Risima Khosa (3), Ethan Adams, Khuthadzo Rasivhaga (2), Cheswill Jooste, Jayden Brits (2), Siphosethu Mnebelele, Gert Kemp. Conversions: Alzeadon Felix (2), Luan Giliomee (3), Akahlulwa Boqwana (6). Uruguay U20 7 (0) — Try: Sebastian Rivero. Conversion: Juan Francisco Pereira.