A 45-minute lightning delay could not halt the Junior Springboks’ charge to back-to-back World Rugby U20 Championship titles when they beat France 16-5 in the final in Tbilisi, Georgia on Saturday night.
The Junior Boks retained their title with a gritty win over the French, stretching their unbeaten tournament streak to 11 matches and defeating Les Bleus for the first time since 2019.
The victory marks the first time South Africa have paired consecutive senior World Cup triumphs with back-to-back junior titles, putting them within touching distance of France's record of three successive junior world championship crowns. The Springboks beat Wales earlier on Saturday,
Yaqeen Ahmed settled early nerves with an eighth-minute penalty, but a greasy surface turned the first half into an error-strewn arm wrestle.
SA U20 captain Siphosethu Mnebelele.
