SA Under-20 captain Siphosethu Mnebelele says the Junior Springboks are determined to set the tone from the opening whistle when they face England in Monday's Junior World Championship semifinal in Tbilisi.
The Junior Boks qualified for the last four after a pool stage that Mnebelele describes as carrying knockout pressure throughout — particularly their final pool match against Wales. "We knew that if we lost against Wales, our route to the play-offs would be in serious jeopardy, so we approached it like a knock-out game," he said. "There were some nerves early on, but we are fortunate to have players who understand their roles and stay focused on their responsibilities."
Those lessons have directly informed the week's preparation, with Mnebelele identifying a fast start as non-negotiable against England. "We need to start well from the opening whistle, execute our roles and not allow England to gain momentum. If we concentrate on doing our jobs to the best of our abilities from the kick-off, we'll give ourselves the best chance of success."
Utility back Luan Giliomee returns at fullback after missing the Wales match. The Springbok Sevens international, who has filled scrumhalf, flyhalf and fullback roles for the SA U20s, said his priority is fitting wherever the team requires. "Whether it's fullback or another position, I'm happy to contribute wherever I can and do what's best for the team."
A win over England would be the Junior Boks' tenth consecutive victory at the Junior World Championship — one short of New Zealand's record of 11 straight wins set between 2016 and 2018.