Reminder: Junior Springboks’ semi-final kick off time on Monday

For all South African rugby fans, there is a Monday night treat to look forward to when the Junior Springboks kick off a battle against England, aiming to take another step towards defending their U20 world title.

Victory over England will be the Junior Boks’ 10th win in a row at the Junior World Championship, which is one short of New Zealand’s record of 11 victories on the trot between 2016 and 2018.

Monday’s semi-final kicks off at 18:30 SA time and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Junior Springboks ready for kick off

SA Under-20 captain Siphosethu Mnebelele said the squad had embraced the build-up to the last-four clash, with the focus firmly on getting themselves ready for a strong English side that has already shown its quality in the tournament.

“We’re a very close group,” said Mnebelele from their team hotel in Tbilisi. “We’ve enjoyed the preparations and we’ve enjoyed spending time together throughout the tournament. The focus has been on preparing well for England.”

The Junior Boks booked their place in the semi-finals after coming through a pressure-filled final pool match against Wales, a game Mnebelele said had effectively carried the intensity of a knockout fixture.

“We knew that if we lost against Wales, our route to the playoffs would be in serious jeopardy, so we approached it like a knockout game,” he said.

“There were some nerves early on, but we are fortunate to have players who understand their roles and stay focused on their responsibilities. That allowed us to settle down and get back into the game.”

Big challenge lies in wait

After naming undoubtedly the strongest team available, Junior Springboks coach Kevin Foote said the team knew they would need to be at their best.

“England have shown their quality by winning all three of their pool games,” Foote added.

“They have a strong and successful history in this competition and will be highly motivated for this match. We have prepared well, and now it’s about executing our plan.

“These young men love representing this team and playing for South Africa. We are grateful to represent our country and are excited about the challenge that awaits us on Monday.”

JUNIOR SPRINGBOKS – 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Markus Muller, 12 Ethan Adams, 11 Khuthadzo Rasivhaga, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Hendré Schoeman, 8 Gert Kemp, 7 Luke Cannon, 6 Kebotile Maake, 5 JD Hattingh, 4 Heinrich Theron, 3 Danie Kruger, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele (c), 1 Oliver Reid.
Bench: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Rambo Kubheka, 18 Luan van der Berg, 19 Jaythen Orange, 20 Thomas Beling, 21 Risima Khosa, 22 Jayden Brits, 23 Alzeadon Felix.