The Los Pumitas have beaten the Baby Boks 2-1 in a series in Argentina. After winning the opening match 26-3, the SA under-20 team lost the next two games 27-42 and 22-27.
On the one hand it’s pleasing to see the juniors getting valuable game time as a unit ahead of the Junior World Championships in France in June. However one just has to ask the question again: do we have our best players on board? There is historic evidence to suggest that all the key players are present with the exception of those like Jan Serfontein and Sergeal Petersen who for now have other preference taking commitments at high levels. However in order to succeed at the very competitive JWC in a country where the SA senior team has struggled to get results over the years, the Baby Boks need the total package – a team that has it’s weakest link positions adequately covered. Earlier this year, during the triumphant home JWC, the Baby Boks were embarrassed at times in the scrumming set-piece and also found themselves wanting in the scrumhalf department. This year problems in acquiring quality number-8’s have also emerged, this despite a number of training camps and warm-up matches being part of the preparations past tense. The result was late inclusions of previously untried Johan Meyer and Aidon Davis which served as testimony to a system that not working as well as it should.
From here the next question is, are the structures in South Africa conducive to producing the best possible team? Potentially much changes in the rugby lives of junior players in as little as 6 months. Boys become men. Players gain and lose a degree of form. Most importantly some players overtake others in terms of ability in their respective positions.
Head coach Dawie Theron has a job and a half tracking the progress of players from end of the under-19 Currie Cup season in October until now, as players scattered around the country and involved in numerous different competitions. Although there is a good line of communication open between the head coach and the various rugby unions, relying on opinions to make crucial selection decisions is not ideal.
Time is close to up for correcting personnel problems for the 2013 campaign. The Argintine team provided a good challenge but is unlikely to be the standard setter in France during June, with good money suggesting that the Baby Blacks from New Zealand will again provide the best indication of how strong a team wanting to win the JWC has to be. Going forward SARU needs to take a closer look at how the situation in SA can be improved with regards to junior rugby structures in the 6-month lead up to the under-19 competition start.
@Green Hopper: check out rugby365,little write up there of the games and who played
who was the team? that played
@BoishaaiPa: thanx,good for him,he had a very good currie cup and deserves a baby bok cap.Still some hard work ahead for the u20’s
@QC86: He actually played more than he thought he would..He was supposed to sit out the first game, but got a start as Du Plessis was injured…he played the whole game. In second game he was on the bench and Dawie subbed Marx after first halve and brought him on again. He also played in the third game, but I am not sure if he started or came off the bench. His groin is 100%…
@BoishaaiPa: is cappy still struggling with his groin?,did he get some game time?
I have it on good authority that the Argie refs in the second and third games had a mission to accomplish. Without any TV cameras or real exposure they could blow as they see fit to make sure the hometeam wins. The second game had 22 penalties against SA in the last 10 minutes of the game!