South Africa's U20s have successfully defended the Junior World Championship title, defeating France 16-5 in the final in Tbilisi on Saturday to claim the country's third U20 world crown, following the 2012 triumph and last year's victory in Italy.
The Junior Boks led 6-0 at half-time before a physical French side pushed them hard in the second half, with the match further complicated by a pre-kick-off lightning delay. Coach Kevin Foote singled out his squad's resilience and the impact of the replacements as decisive factors.
"We knew France were big, physical and they just kept coming at us," said Foote. "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."
Foote also credited the bench's contribution: "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 was part of last year's title-winning squad, described the achievement as something beyond words. "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 handled the weather delay by staying adaptable and focused, and that a shared sense of purpose drove the group throughout the tournament. "We talk about giving love on defence, giving love on attack, and doing it for the guy next to you and for the people back home in South Africa."
The squad returns to South Africa on Monday.