Haashim Pead scored a brace of tries because the Junior Springboks overcame a first-half deficit to beat Argentina of their U20 Rugby Championship opener in Gqeberha on Thursday.
Trailing 20-15 at half time, the Junior Boks scored three of their 5 tries in a powerful second-half efficiency to assert a 36-25 victory on the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Kevin Foote’s troops discovered themselves additional behind when Los Pumitas captain Felipe Ledesma crossed early after the break, however the hosts responded emphatically with scrumhalf Pead finishing his double earlier than skipper Riley Norton put his staff forward for good with a close-range landing.
Left winger Gino Cupido, who made his Blitzboks debut on the Hong Kong Sevens in March, sealed the win with a late strive, whereas flyhalf Kyle Smith kicked 12 factors earlier than being substituted.
The opening exchanges noticed Smith and reverse quantity Rafael Benedit commerce penalties earlier than Pead crossed the whitewash. The guests responded via fullback Pascal Senillosa, levelling the scores at 10-10.
He did it for the Blitzboks and now he does it for the Junior Boks 🤌🇿🇦
Gino Cupido is aware of his method round a strive line ⚡
📺 Stream #TRCU20 on DStv: pic.twitter.com/cBkuTB65ZU
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) May 1, 2025
Outdoors centre Demitre Erasmus restored South Africa’s benefit, however the Argentines completed the half strongly with proper winger Bautista Lescano’s strive giving them a five-point buffer on the interval.
Thursday’s victory carries further significance as Argentina narrowly misplaced 30-28 to the Junior Boks in final 12 months’s inaugural event in Australia.
The match concluded an entertaining double-header at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, following an exhilarating 29-29 draw between defending champions New Zealand and Australia, the place Beau Morrison’s transformed strive after the ultimate hooter secured the Australians a share of the spoils.
The second of three rounds of fixtures on the similar venue is scheduled for Tuesday, with New Zealand and Argentina set to lock horns at 2pm, earlier than the Junior Boks face Australia (4:10pm).
Photograph: Richard Huggard/Gallo Pictures
