The Junior Springboks are top of their Junior World Champs pool on 10 points, one ahead of Wales on nine who they play in their last group match.
Junior Springbok star Luan Giliomee scored a try and slotted three conversions in their hard-fought U20 Junior World Championship win over hosts Georgia in Tbilisi on Thursday night. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
The Junior Springboks were made to work incredibly hard as they earned a hard-fought 33-5 win over a gritty but ill-disciplined Georgia U20 in their U20 Junior World Championship second round clash at the Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi on Thursday night.
Georgia received three yellow cards, one of which was upgraded to a 20-minute red card, which saw the hosts play with 13-men on two occasions, and with a player less from just before the end of the first half, until the 70th minute, which proved massively costly.
The Junior Boks were however unable to take advantage for the most part, and constantly had to break down a very disciplined and stubborn defence, but in the end earned a comfortable bonus point win, which has put them top of their pool with one group game to play.
First half
The first half was a massive arm wrestle as the hosts started very well and pushed the Junior Boks all the way.
After Georgia missed an early penalty to take the lead, they scored the first try, attacking from a lineout on the Junior Boks 22m and swinging the ball wide, where fullback Nikoloz Khalvashi drew the final defender and put wing Luka Tabatadze into the corner for an eighth minute try.
The Junior Boks then finally got some possession, but it still took them until the 22nd minute to get themselves on the board, as they kicked a penalty onto the Georgian 5m, secured the lineout and set the maul but were stopped short, only for captain Siphosethu Mnebelele to pick up and dive over to level the scores at 5-all.
In the 33rd minute the Junior Boks finally hit the front, as they again kicked a penalty deep into the hosts 22m, set a monster maul and powered over for hooker Mnebelele to dot down his second, as flyhalf Luan Giliomee added the extras.
It was then a lively end to the half, as Georgia prop Levan Ezieshvili was yellow carded, which was upgraded to red, after direct contact from a poor tackle on Giliomee, but the Junior Boks couldn’t capitalise and had to settle for a 12-5 lead at the break.
Second half
Straight after the restart Georgia found themselves down to 13 men as Tabatadze received a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, but some massive defence from the hosts and poor play from the Junior Boks meant they were unable to score during those 10 minutes.
But after getting back to 14 men the Junior Boks immediately struck, as Giliomee spotted some space out wide and sent a cross kick for wing Cheswill Jooste to catch on the bounce and scorch past his opposite number for the converted score.
Just before the end of their 20-minute red card in the 59th minute, Georgia was again reduced to 13 men, just for a minute, as scrumhalf Davit Tsiklauri was sent to the bin after coming into a maul from the side, after the hosts were warned about their maul infringements.
From the penalty Giliomee caught the Georgia defence napping as he tapped and scored, before converting to put them 26-5 up with 20 minutes to play.
A scrappy final 20 minutes then followed, but the Junior Boks finished with a flourish as flank Luke Cannon crashed over from close range in the dying minutes to seal the win.
Scorers
Georgia U20: Try – Luka Tabatadze
Junior Springboks: Tries – Siphosethu Mnebelele (2), Cheswill Jooste, Luan Giliomee, Luke Cannon; Conversions – Giliomee (3), Alzeadon Felix
