Junior Springbok attack coach Melusi Mthethwa has credited the squad's belief and precision after the SA U20s overturned an eight-point halftime deficit to beat England 53-37 and advance to the Junior World Championship final against France.
Trailing 20-12 at the break after England executed their gameplan effectively in the first half, the Junior Boks transformed the contest after the interval to run out comfortable winners. Mthethwa acknowledged England's opening salvo but said the coaching staff were confident the players would respond.
"We knew the first half was going to be very, very tough. They had a plan and they tried to stop us, and they did that very well. Credit to the boys – they handled that well," he said.
The halftime message centred on accuracy and trust in their preparation rather than forcing the issue. "We identified a few opportunities we needed to take. In the second half we were able to take control and take those opportunities, which was great."
Wing Khuthadzo Rasivhaga was the standout finisher, crossing for three second-half tries. He said the squad had anticipated England's aggressive start and focused on staying in the fight through the first 40 minutes.
"We spoke about it during the week and we knew England were going to come hard in that first 40 minutes. We had to contain them, stay patient and keep backing ourselves. We weren't as accurate as we wanted to be in the first half, but we started the second half much better and took our opportunities."
Rasivhaga was quick to attribute the platform to the forwards: "They did a fantastic job. We've worked hard together during the week and they did exactly what was required. They gave us good ball and created the platform for us to play."
The squad took a rest day on Tuesday, participating in a World Rugby coaching clinic with local club children, before resuming training on Wednesday ahead of Saturday's final against France.