Junior Boks 50 - 10 Varsity Cup Dream Team
Stellenbosch - It wasn’t a pretty start by either team, especially not by the SA Under-20s but, as the score suggests, everything came together for Chean Roux’s team as the clock ticked on.
The Varsity Cup Dream Team, coached by Varsity Cup winning coach Pote Human, dominated possession and kept Roux's men in their own territory for extended periods early on, while the Junior Boks also struggled with their lineouts in the first half and lost no fewer than three of their own throws.
Things came together for the Junior Boks as the game progressed, and although the Dream Team tested them in certain areas, especially at the breakdowns, one could see that the Junior Boks were the side that had spent more time together in terms of preparation, while they also looked the fitter side, especially from the third quarter onwards.
And as can be expected in a match like this one, there were a number of exciting individual performances.
Flyhalf Damian Willemse showed just why he’s played his way into Super Rugby when he added the Junior Boks’ fifth try with dazzling footwork.
The Junior Boks enjoyed much more possession in the second half and they also made better use of their opportunities, and it showed as they ran in three more tries in the second 40 by blindside flanker Muller Uys, Willemse and replacement forward Nama Xaba.
The Dream Team produced some enterprising play after that, but the Junior Boks had the final say when right wing Manie Libbok went over for the last try of the match.