Baby Boks coach Foote says his men learnt plenty from Rugby Championship ahead of World Cup

The Junior Springboks fell short in their bid to capture the Under-20 Rugby Championship but coach Kevin Foote said the players can take positives from their courageous effort against the young New Zealand on Saturday.

New Zealand held on to beat the Junior Springboks 48-45 in front of close to 15 000 spectators at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to retain the title in dramatic fashion. South Africa had led 26-24 at the break.

Foote said his players should be proud of their effort after being outscored by eight tries to seven.

“There are a lot of positives to take from that performance; we are on a massive journey together and I only met Riley Norton and the guys in November. We are working hard on our game model and principles which everyone understands now,” said Foote.

“From a character and leadership perspective, we are in a good place. The lessons we learnt will be of huge benefit as we approach the World Under-20 Championship next month in Italy.”

The South Africans played their part in a breathtaking attacking game against the Kiwis, which delivered more than 90 points and went down to the wire, with New Zealand under huge pressure and playing with 13 men at the end.

“I think Melusi (Mthethwa, the team’s backline coach) has done a great job in terms of our attack and I feel that the players have clarity on how we want to play,” said Foote.

“We played some exciting rugby during the tournament and just to hear the crowd get behind us when we started to light it up was exceptional.

“We know we are not the finished product, and we have a lot of work to do, but  think our attack has come a long way and the guys are loving what they do with the ball.”

Foote said the Junior Bok coaching staff will send some players back to their provincial unions to play in the SA Rugby Under-21 Cup competition: “We will take it case by case, but some must get game time.

“It’s a strong competition and the players are well-coached. We are keen for them to keep going. There will be some whose load will be managed, we will do our medicals and take it case by case.”

SA Under-20 captain Riley Norton, who again had a solid game at lock, was also full of praise for the players’ efforts, on and off the field.

“To have played these high-pressure games against quality opposition before the World Champs is going to be vital for us,” said Norton.

“The lessons we learnt, the connections and relationships we have built, not only on the field but off it, and the trust we have created, are extremely important.

Norton also praised the Eastern Cape crowd for their support during the thrilling encounter: “It was a massive honour for us to play in front of such a passionate crowd.

"They came out in numbers on a Sunday afternoon, and we are privileged to represent them and play for the country. We want to say thank you to the people of Gqeberha for the support and hospitality throughout our three-week long stay here.”