SA u-21 rugby world champs 2005
Brad Morgan
28 June 2005
South Africa is the undoubted champion of world junior rugby for 2005. Following on from the SA u-19 victory in the World Championships in Durban, SA's u-21 team won the World Championships in Argentina at the weekend, beating Australia 24-20 in the final.
It was close at the final whistle, but in truth South Africa were clear winners, dominating most of the contest. It began up front, where the scrum dominated, but many opportunities that should have been turned into points weren't, as Morne Steyn had an off-day with the boot.
SA lifts rugby's first u-21 crown - SA beat Australia at Ellis Park in 2002 to become the first IRB under-21 world champs. You'll recognise some of the
names from that day - among them Clyde Rathbone (captain), Jean de Villiers, Ashwin Willemse, Jacques Cronjé, Fourie du Preez, Enrico January, Pedri Wannenburg, Jean Smith - and coach Jake White. 
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He missed four penalties and a drop, while his kicking replacement Ruan Pienaar succeeded with only one out of three shots at goal. Add it all up and that amounts to 21 missed points.
Strong defence
Strong defence dominated the early part of the contest. That, together with handling errors and a couple of missed kicks by Steyn, saw no points being scored until the twenty-fourth minute.
That was when Derick Kuun put South Africa ahead, taking an inside gap to crash over after a nice attack launched from the base of a scrum within five metres of the Australian line. Steyn slotted the conversion to put SA 7-0 in
front.
Australia hit back with a penalty by fullback Cameron Shepherd to make it 7-3.
The young South Africans then lost captain Paul Delport, who left the field suffering from concussion. He was replaced by Sharks scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar.
No problem for SA, though. Prop Sangoni Mxoli boosted the South African advantage when a huge hole opened up for him on the Australian 22-metre line, and he scooted through to score. Another Steyn conversion made it 14-3 in favour of coach Peter de Villiers' charges.
The Aussies replied once more with a penalty by Shepherd to reduce the deficit to 14-6 at the break.
Exploited a gap
In the second half, from a set scrum, Pienaar exploited a gap in the Australian defences on the blind to burst away for South Africa's third try. Another Steyn conversion made it 21-6.
Australia struck back quickly with a flowing backline movement that opened the way for Henari Veratau to round the South
African defences and score under the uprights. Shepherd converted to make the score 21-13.
Pienaar, who took over kicking duties from the misfiring Steyn, landed another penalty for the South Africans to give them some breathing room at 24-13. However, he missed two further chances to increase the gap even more.
In the final five minutes Australia launched an all-out attack on the South African tryline. They were rewarded with a try when prop Benn Robinson was driven over from a maul. Shepherd's successful conversion put South Africa under some pressure.
However, SA's defence held up, and when the hooter sounded South Africa were, once again, the IRB Under-21 world champions.
'A typical final'
Coach Peter de Villiers declared proud of his side afterwards, describing the game as "a typical final, played with a lot of nerves".
Skipper Paul Delport, who previously led South Africa to success in the IRB under-19 World
Championships, said: "We worked very hard before we came here and we got it right strategically and tactically, and that's why we won."
Scorers
South Africa 24:
Tries: Derek Kuun, Sangoni Mixoli, Ruan Pienaar
Conversions: Morne Steyn 2, Pienaar
Penalties: Pienaar
Australia 20:
Tries: Henari Veratau, Ben Robinson
Conversions: Cameron Shepherd 2
Penalties: Shepherd 2
Final standings:
- South Africa
- Australia
- New Zealand
- France
- Argentina
- Scotland
- England
- Wales
- Ireland
- Samoa
- Canada
- Italy
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