Stellenbosch - A crucial converted try coupled with two penalties saved the Junior Springboks from blushes in their opening match of the World Rugby U20 Championship against Georgia in Stellenbosch on Saturday.
The Junior Boks left it until the final 10 minutes of the game to seal the deal after the Junior Lelos put up a massive physical fight in the second half coming within two points at one stage of the home side before they eventually pulled away.
South Africa's U20s won 33-23 to escape unscathed in the pool C match, but they will have to improve on this showing to top the group that includes Italy and Argentina.
Jean Smith, the Junior Springbok flyhalf, contributed 18 points with the boot in a Player-of-the-Match performance and kicked all his shots at goal, while his relieving kicks were invaluable to the home side.
His halfback partner Imad Khan also had a lively start to the match and kept the team on the front foot, allowing them to build up a lead of 20-7 at halftime.
Outside centre and vice-captain Katlego Letebele and Jurenzo Julius scored the two tries for the Junior Boks, and they looked totally in control when the break came.
Letebele ran a good line as he darted through the Georgian defence after some good interplay by South Africa. Julius finished a good backline move in the corner with some excellent acrobatics.
It took the home team just over 26 minutes to score their first points of the second half after it looked like Georgia readied themselves to cause an upset on the first day of the tournament.
They dominated with their massive ball carriers and scrums and the Junior Springboks struggled to hang on to tackles. And the scrum folded plenty of times as the massive units of Georgia cranked up their pressure.
They also defended brilliantly and shut the rolling maul attempts by the Junior Boks down before they could get any momentum.
It took a yellow card to lock JF van Heerden for South Africa to wake up and in the time he was off the field they scored 13 points to seal the win as centre Ethan Hooker's opportunistic try gave them some breathing room.
There are a lot of work-ons for the team ahead of the second match against Italy on Thursday in Paarl, but their desperation on defence and playing for each other shone through when it was required.
Point-scorers:
South Africa U20 33 (20) - Tries: Katlego Letebele, Jurenzo Julius, Ethan Hooker. Conversions: Jean Smith (3). Penalties: Smith (4).
Georgia U20 23 (7) - Tries: Lasha Tsikhistavi, Luka Tsirekidze, Nika Babunashvili. Conversion: Petre Khutsishvili. Penalties: Khutsishvili (2).
@Leighton_K