South Africa's Junior Springboks have successfully defended the Junior World Championship title, defeating France 16-5 in the final in Tbilisi on Saturday to secure the country's third U-20 world crown, following the 2012 and 2024 victories.
The Junior Boks led 6-0 at half-time before holding off a fierce French challenge in the second half, with France's only points coming via a single try. The final was delayed before kick-off by a lightning storm, adding an extra mental test to what was already a physically demanding contest against a big, abrasive French pack.
Head coach Kevin Foote credited his squad's collective resilience and the impact of his replacements in seeing out the victory. "We knew France were big and physical, and they just kept coming at us. We had to soak up a lot of pressure, but the story of this team has been that they never give up. We always felt that if we got our opportunity, we'd take it," said Foote.
Foote was particularly satisfied with the team's defensive leadership and the energy injected by the bench at critical moments. "The starting players had absorbed so much pressure, and the fresh legs brought energy at a crucial time. That's been a strength of this squad all season."
Captain Siphosethu Mnebelele, who also featured in last year's title-winning campaign in Italy, described the back-to-back achievement as carrying its own distinct weight. "This was a completely different team, different connections and a different journey. One thing about this team is that we just keep grinding it out because of the care we have for each other."
Mnebelele said the squad managed the pre-match weather delay by leaning on their adaptability as a group, and acknowledged the emotional toll of watching the closing stages from the sidelines. "All you want is for the team to do well and succeed. I was incredibly nervous watching, but I was so happy the boys managed to get the result."
The squad is scheduled to return to South Africa on Monday.