Despite the scoreline, the Junior Springboks were valiant in their 31-12 loss against a superior Junior Irish outfit in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship semifinals on Sunday evening.

Ireland entered the Under-20 Championship off the back of an under-20 Six Nations Grand Slam win and proved their class against a courageous Junior Boks side, who were outclassed on a chilly evening at Athlone Stadium.

South Africa will now play England in the third/fourth place playoff on Friday evening at Athlone Stadium, with France and Ireland contesting the final after France beat England 52-31 in the other semifinal on Sunday.

Michael Annies of South Africa in the World Rugby U20 Championship 2023 semifinal against Ireland at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on 9 July 2023. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images / World Rugby)

Ireland absorbed relentless early pressure from the Junior Springboks and countered with a brace by leftwing James Nicholson and accurate goalkicking by flyhalf Sam Prendergast, who kept the scoreboard ticking over.

South Africa started the match in promising fashion, peppering the Irish line sporadically in the opening half hour, but final passes not sticking and knock-ons close to the line cost the home side.

The Junior Boks somehow finished the half pointless and seven points down despite spending most of the opening 40 minutes in Irish territory.

Poor discipline

Poor discipline by the Baby Boks allowed Ireland to take the lead. Replacement loose-forward Jannes Potgieter conceded South Africa’s third yellow card of the tournament when he collided with Ireland wing Andrew Osborne after he had kicked the ball.

Diarmuid Mangan of Ireland U20 during the World Rugby U20 Championship 2023 semifinal against South Africa. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images / World Rugby)

Prendergast kicked the halfway line penalty deep into touch in South African territory. Ireland shifted the ball wide to leftwing Nicholson, who finished neatly in the left corner in the 38th minute to finally break the 0-0 deadlock.

Prendergast, with his kicking boots on in windy conditions, slotted the conversion from the corner.

South Africa worked their way back into Irish territory as the halftime siren went, when flyhalf Jean Smith missed a drop goal in front of the posts to go into the break trailing by a converted try, despite a dominant opening half.

Championship quality

South Africa started the second half in a similarly positive style, but Smith missed two relatively straightforward penalties in the first five minutes, failing to get the Boks back in the game.

They kept their foot on the throttle, however, getting their first points of the match in the 46th minute through scrumhalf Imad Khan, who dotted down under the posts.

Regan Izaks of South Africa in the World Rugby U20 Championship 2023 semifinal against Ireland at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on 9 July 2023. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images / World Rugby)

Substitute fullback Regan Izaks hit a gap in the Irish 22m before offloading to his scrumhalf, who went over unopposed.

From that point, Ireland showed their Six Nations championship material, with a 30-minute display of cohesiveness and mature rugby.

Irish No 8 Brian Gleeson went over barely a minute after Khan scored, benefiting from a neat lineout move to go over under the sticks.

After a sustained period of pressure on the Junior Boks’ tryline, Prendergast put in a tidy cross-kick for Nicholson on the left, who then completed his brace.

Paul De Villiers of South Africa protects the ball during the World Rugby U20 Championship 2023 semifinal against Ireland at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on 9 July 2023. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images / World Rugby)

Substitute outside back Sam Berman scored Ireland’s fourth and final try of the day after neat and quick interplay opened up space on the right.

Prendergast converted all of the tries and then knocked over a straightforward penalty to put the game out of doubt at 31-7 in the 72nd minute.

Burly South African lock forward Coetzee le Roux made the score more respectable with a consolation try in the final five minutes, but Smith missed the subsequent conversion.

Finals

The final match day of the Under-20 Championship will take place on Friday, 14 July, with the final and the third/fourth place playoff as well as the fifth/sixth place playoff between Wales and Australia taking place at Athlone Stadium

Wales beat Georgia 40-21 at Paarl Gymnasium in Paarl on Sunday to seal their spot before Australia shocked New Zealand 44-35 at Athlone Stadium.

The two top teams throughout the under-20 Championship, in the four match days so far, Ireland and France, will face off in the final.

The two northern hemisphere teams have been head and shoulders above their opposition, heading into the final as the only two undefeated sides. DM