South Africa retained their Junior World Championship title with a 16-5 win over France in Tbilisi. (Photo: World Rugby). Kevin Foote’s Junior Boks made history on Saturday night, becoming the first South African U20 side to win back-to-back World Rugby Junior World Championship titles.
The result in Tbilisi marks a high point for the age-group side, and for South African rugby as a whole.
Having successfully defended their Junior World Championship title, the Junior Boks have emulated the Springbok side that won consecutive World Cups in 2019 and 2023.
/file/attachments/orphans/2273797878_978881.jpg "Flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed scored 11 points in the final by landing three penalties and a conversion. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)")
South Africa’s (SA’s) dominance of the game at junior and senior levels is best reflected by the teams’ consistent results, as well as their ability to perform in championship matches.
Earlier on Saturday, the Boks beat Wales 43-0 in Durban to finish the first phase of the Nations Championship at the top of the southern conference standings – and to claim their 11th straight Test win.
That white-hot streak includes a second-consecutive Rugby Championship title, and record-breaking victories against New Zealand, Argentina and Wales.
A couple of hours later in Tbilisi, the Junior Boks overpowered France to win the global decider, and to burnish their status as the most dominant side at the U20 level.
Delayed start
The kickoff at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium was delayed by 45 minutes due to lightning in the area, and the wet conditions influenced the tactics of both teams when the decider eventually commenced.
The Junior Boks showed their mettle on defence in the early stages and drew first blood after flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed slotted a penalty goal in the eighth minute.
France battled to cope with the Junior Boks at the scrums and mauls, haemorrhaging penalties over the course of the first half.
Centres Ethan Adams and Markus Muller carried deep into the heart of the French defence, and SA may have earned more reward for these surges if not for some poor handling and decision-making in the later phases.
/file/attachments/2995/JWC2026_Final-FrancevSouthAfrica1_726666.jpeg "Junior Bok centre Markus Muller scores a vital late try in the final against France. (Photo: World Rugby)")
Challenging conditions contributed to the high error rate, with France botching their fair share of scoring chances.
Lock Romeo Bonnard Martin crossed the line from point-blank range in the 35th minute, but the French were penalised for obstruction in the buildup, and the score was chalked off.
The Junior Boks finished the half on top, after Ahmed slotted a second penalty goal from just inside French territory, to extend the lead to six points.
After the break
France responded immediately after the break, scoring via flank Raphaël Audebert. They might have scored a second try in quick succession if not for a costly fumble on the South African tryline.
The Junior Boks showed terrific resolve to withstand the French assault during this period and protect their slender 6-5 lead.
And while the South Africans had some luck on the night, they were denied by the TMO at the other end of the field in the 57th minute, due to a knock-on in the buildup to replacement centre Samuel Badenhorst’s try.
France continued to attack the Junior Boks in the period that followed, but the South Africans continued to meet the challenge.
Once they regained possession, the Junior Boks relied on their scrum and maul to generate momentum, and it was from another dominant set-piece platform that they unleashed Muller for a game-changing try in the 67th minute.
Crucially, Ahmed stepped up to slot the conversion to extend the lead to eight points – a significant advantage given both the conditions and the stakes.
The Junior Boks had the opportunity to put the result beyond doubt when winger Cheswill Jooste jetted in for a try. But the officials again called play back after it was ruled that fullback Alzeadon Felix had put a foot in touch in the lead-up.
There was yet another stoppage in the 76th minute, after Ahmed was penalised for jumping over a defender en route to the tryline. Hurdling a tackler is not allowed.
Fittingly, it was Ahmed who had the final say though, slotting a third penalty to seal a hard-earned and well-deserved result.
/file/attachments/2995/JWC2026_Final-FrancevSouthAfrica2_619368.jpeg "South Africa scrumhalf Hendré Schoeman gets his backline away. (Photo: World Rugby)")
Unbeaten run
The victory in Tbilisi has extended the Junior Boks’ unbeaten run to 18 matches.
For the first time, the young guns hold the world title as well as the Under-20 Rugby Championship, which they won for the first time earlier this season.
It’s a massive achievement in isolation, and Foote, SA Rugby’s general manager of high performance Dave Wessels, and the rest of the Junior Bok staff deserve credit for the part they have played in rebuilding the U20 set-up over the past 18 months.
No one will be happier than Bok boss Rassie Erasmus, who has worked to align the junior and senior programmes in recent seasons.
Erasmus went as far as to pick a few Junior Boks in the recent matches against the Barbarians and Zimbabwe, with Ahmed, Muller and others starring in those clashes.
While the performance and result in Tbilisi should be lauded, it’s encouraging to think that these young players will be available to Erasmus in the next World Cup cycle, which will climax at the global tournament in 2031.
These are unprecedented times of success for South African rugby, but in light of recent results, the national team may take things even further in years to come. DM
Scorers:
South Africa U20 – Tries: Markus Muller. Conversion: Yaqeen Ahmed. Penalties: Ahmed (3).
France U20 – Try: Raphaël Audebert.