South Africa U20 land game-winning penalty after siren to beat Argentina U20
It was all on the line for the four heavyweights in the final round of action on the Sunshine Coast, and while South Africa were hunting for their first win of the competition, Argentina were in with a precarious chance of lifting the inaugural The Rugby Championship U20 trophy.
The sun had finally appeared for round three and fans packed the banks for what would be a ferocious back-and-forth that was only decided in the dying moments.
South Africa came out of the blocks firing and it took just 45 seconds for star centre Julius “the Boogieman” Jurenzo to carve through four defenders and score the game’s opening try. Philip-Albert van Niekerk added the extras.
Facundo Rodriguez had a chance to get his team on the board 12 minutes into the contest but his penalty went wide left. Rodriguez soon looked to get on the board again with a drop goal, but that attempt went wide right.
A break from Juan Penoucos sent Argentina away, and the skillset from the South Americans resulted in Franco Rossetto claiming his first try of the afternoon. It was the third time’s a charm for Rodriguez as he knocked over the conversion.
With the scores locked, a yellow card to South Africa’s Ezekiel Ngubane meant the team would be without their halfback for 10 minutes.
It took just one minute for the Argentines to punish their opponents, with Timoteo Silva making the break and Rossetto running onto the chip kick to claim his second try of the game.
The half ended with the powerful Argentinan forward pack going to work again and getting over the chalk once more with their driving maul. It was the winger Rossetto who emerged with the ball, completing his first-half hat-trick. Facundo Rodriguez nailed his second conversion of the afternoon from the sideline. Halftime score: 21-7.
South Africa were first to get on the board in the second half, with an opportunistic tap from No. 8 Tiaan Jacobs catching the Argentinian line off guard and allowing him to push through a gap to find the line.
The set piece was in immense tussle, with penalties going both ways and plenty of passion expressed with every whistle.
Phase play was no less physical, South Africa were able to get a roll on for periods but one dominant Argentine tackle would stop that momentum on a dime. Discipline would let Argentina down but their lineout performed excellently with their backs against the wall.
The South African scrum started to really flex their muscles towards the hour mark, winning a penalty on Argentina’s put-in just 10 metres from the line. The play made up for a knock-on that ended a strong passage of attack.
Reserve prop Casper Badenhorst finished the effort, but van Niekerk’s missed conversion left Argentina with a two-point lead.
Soon after the try, South Africa caught Argentina upright in the carry and earned a penalty. This time though, Argentina won back possession with a scrum penalty. Reserve flyhalf Santino Di Lucca stepped up for the penalty kick but was unable to extend his team’s lead.
Gael Galvan then paid the price for Argentina’s repeated poor discipline, the prop was handed a yellow card and van Niekerk got his team in the lead by one point with the penalty kick.
A huge clearance and determined chase from South Africa put Argentina under even more pressure, and when they won yet another penalty, the team opted for a tap and go, which captain Zachary Porthen took and scored. The failed conversion kept the lead at six with 10 minutes remaining.
The drama was only just beginning though, as Argentina launched a desperate attack and who else but Franco Rossetto finished it in the corner; the winger’s fourth try of the game. The conversion from the sideline would be crucial and Di Lucca was up to the challenge, handing his team a 28-27 lead.
A South African scrum in Argentina’s 22 in the 79th minute set up a dramatic final stand, and while the South Africans were ultimately held up over the line, the play was called back for a penalty right in front of the posts and Philip-Albert van Niekerk stepped up for the game-winning kick. Fulltime score: 28-30.
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s crazy that most comments here are coming from people whose teams or country of origin were not in the final and who are jubilant about the loss of one of them. And assess their own human value based on that. The team that I support won. But guess what? I was not on the pitch. And my own value doesn’t depend on wether Toulouse wins or not. So imagine being dependent on the result of a team that has nothing to do with the one you support, but that enters the debate on who’s the best team in the world. Guys, that’s not being tough and proud. That just kindergarten and fragility.
5 Go to commentsI was at this game. So delighted as a Crusaders fan. Noah Hotham at halfback and captain fantastic Codie Taylor inspirational. Ethan Blackadder, Cullen Grace, Lio -Willie a fantastic loose forward unit, with a mighty one in Tom Christie off the bench. A great battle between the Crusaders and Blues , a great rivalry.
16 Go to commentsthats spice to selectors… love it when selectors are proven wrong
3 Go to commentsPersonally, I would like to see a split between professional rugby (All Blacks and Super Rugby) and amateur rugby (NPC, clubs, schools). It’s time the NPC become fully amateur as NZ cannot afford to pay more than 200 fully professional contracts (40 contracts per 5 Super Rugby franchises). And before anyone argues where will the Super Rugby franchises gets its players if they are not playing in the NPC, the answer is through their U20 Academy and their Development teams as they have for the past decade. If Super Rugby franchises want their non-All Blacks to continue to play in NPC then Super Rugby franchises can pay their players’ salaries not the NPC union. If NPC players want to be paid, earn a pro contract with a Super Rugby franchise, as many NPC players currently do each season. The 70s, 80s and 90s are over. The golden days of NPC when the game was amateur were fantastic but long gone.
27 Go to commentsChoke under pressure? Very surprising! Lol not really
5 Go to commentsApart from his overinflated rush defense, Nienaber brought very little to the Leinster table.
14 Go to commentsAnd Ugo Mola outsmarted Nienaber and Cullen.
1 Go to commentsThink 9 would be more appropriate for Porter. Incredible display, won penalty after penalty at the scrum and never even looked tired at 80 minutes.
4 Go to commentsWell that settles it. AD-P made JGP look positively AVE. And a very generous 2 for Top Knot.
4 Go to commentsDid anyone catch the elbow to the back of the head of the sharks player 36min 28sec in just before the aerial challenge? I watched it live and I thought I saw it and the sharks player drop. Every camera shot was then zoomed it for the aerial contest. Was it just my imagination or was it just a bad camera angle.
18 Go to commentsTaumoefolau is a special player and one to watch for the future. Always a threat with ball in hand and electric speed! Also deploys a huge accurate boot and is safe under the high ball. Although he is only 21, he must be on someone’s radar?
1 Go to commentsSo, had AD(P) not had that howler - would he have got an 11?
9 Go to commentsToulouse on the top of Europe (and SA) with their sixth title
5 Go to commentsDEFINITION OF CHOKE
5 Go to commentsKINGS OF CHOKE
4 Go to commentsIrish Choking is becoming so boring and common that Its not even fun laughing at them anymore.
9 Go to commentsAmazing that a team can win 3/13 games in regular season and still have playoff hopes. What’s the point?
16 Go to commentsAs a french, it’s easier to win with Dupont, 50/22, turnovers, …
11 Go to commentsCullen Grace is playing very well since his shift back to blindside flanker mid-season. He is a hard working, physical defender and ruck cleaner, very good lineout jumper, with not quite the dynamic ball carrying to be a 8. He completely outplayed Akira Ioane at 6, who once again went missing when forced to play trench warfare.
16 Go to commentsBrit pundit - sees Springbok cries FOUL PLAY. It's becoming tiresomely BORING.
18 Go to comments