Junior Boks end poor Championship run with seven-try win over Wales

The Junior Boks broke their three-game losing streak at the World Rugby U20 Championship, comfortably beating Wales 47-31 with a seven-try effort at the Cape Town Stadium in the seventh/eighth place play-off.

Bafana Nhleko’s injury-hit side had lost twice to Argentina and England in their recent outings at a variety of venues following their opening night win over Fiji on June 29, but they took their frustration out on the Welsh, who came into the rankings decider having lost at the tournament to Australia, France and New Zealand.

A match day two win over Spain, who dramatically relegated Fiji with a sudden death try on Friday morning, was Wales’ only win at the Championship and hopes that they might extend South Africa’s misery got lost in a disappointing opening half-hour where they conceded three tries.

Skipper Zach Porthen got the hosts motoring on 10 minutes and other tries followed from Sibabalwe Mahashe and JF van Heerden to generate a 19-point gap that was reduced to 19-5 at the interval by Walker Price’s try.

Mahashe (46) and crowd favourite Bathobele Hlekani (56) then scored South African tries either side of one for Wales from Aidan Boschoff to make it 33-10.

"That is just brilliant!" ?

Bathobele Hlekani finishes off a beautiful move in the corner for @SAJuniorRugby ??#WorldRugbyU20s | #WALvRSA pic.twitter.com/4HTIj8Udhk

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) July 19, 2024

The Welsh thought they might make things interesting with a Steffan Emanuel intercept try on 62 minutes, but the Junior Boks quickly responded with scores from Asad Moos (64) and Porthen’s second (68) to spin the lead out to 47-17.

Wales finished brightly, though, with a well-worked 73rd-minute try in the corner from the lively Price and a last-play 82nd-minute Owen Conquer score.

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