U20 Rugby Championship 2025
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Just watched the game, I thought it was a fantastic contest. There's some obvious areas of improvement for the NZ U20s, but the lineout, breakdown, and phase play attack was really good. Amazing effort to finish on top with 13 men as well.
@Mauss that kick to touch at the end from the NZ replacement halfback
️..just when you thought you had seen everything 
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I’m not sure Moyo is the answer for SA at 10. Quite a bit of aimless kicking at critical times. NZ deserved winners
@W32 said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
I’m not sure Moyo is the answer for SA at 10. Quite a bit of aimless kicking at critical times.
I tend to agree on Moyo. He has a good boot on him but I can’t immediately recall a great deal of positive outcomes resulting from it. The Junior Boks need a first five who can play flat to the line. The problem is that I don’t really know who that could or should be.
The intensity from the Junior Boks at the outset was great but once the NZ U20s were able to get back into the game, any sort of coherent game plan for the SA U20s was lacking, I felt. In contrast, the calmness and skill execution from the NZ U20s to deal with the early onslaught was something else. Will Cole is rising very quickly in my estimation, the way he was able to draw defenders onto him while releasing others into space was terrific. He has a great feel for the line.
During the second half, the Baby Blacks had no less than six genuine ball players in the backline, players who have experience running a backline in either 15s or 7s: Will Cole, Charlie Sinton, Stanley Solomon, Rico Simpson, Jack Wiseman and Maloni Kunawave. While NZ Rugby have been lagging behind recently in terms of tactical innovation, a backline filled with players who can call and change plays on the fly could be an important next step.
Finally, and remarkably, this was the first win for the NZ U20s against the Junior Boks in 15 years. After winning their semi-final against the SA U20s in 2010, the Baby Blacks lost 6 consecutive games against their perennial foes – 2012, 2013, 2014 (2x), 2018, and 2019 – before drawing last year. Great way to get over that particular hump.
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@Mauss that kick to touch at the end from the NZ replacement halfback
️..just when you thought you had seen everything ️@Steven-Harris said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
@Mauss that kick to touch at the end from the NZ replacement halfback
️..just when you thought you had seen everything ️I'm just going to pretend that never happened. I still have nightmares about that Nepo Laulala chicken wing-offload near his own 22 against the Irish in Wellington.
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@Mauss last night was the first time I have seen Coles play and agree with much of what you wrote about him, but I do have one reservation. He seems to be yet another NZ 10 with a pop gun punt. I felt his lack of distance when clearing contributed to NZ getting stuck around their own 22/10 metre line following receiving a kick off. Where have we seen that problem before?
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Jeez looked like the South African ducked a bit into that one. I would call that mitigation.
@Crazy-Horse said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
Jeez looked like the South African ducked a bit into that one. I would call that mitigation.
A YC I could agree with.
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@Mauss that kick to touch at the end from the NZ replacement halfback
️..just when you thought you had seen everything ️@Steven-Harris said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
@Mauss that kick to touch at the end from the NZ replacement halfback
️..just when you thought you had seen everything ️Nock dreams of kicking to touch that well at the end of a game.
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crowd werent happy with the end result...
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I've only just had a chance to watch the game. There were certainly plenty of positives to fight back from a terrible start and show some resilience at the end. The backs looked slick to create space. I wish NZ wouldn't try to play so much rugby in their own 22. They gifted SA tries doing just that.
It goes without saying that NZ needs to work on their discipline before the WC. You can't give away so many stupid penalties against the better NH teams and not pay for it. Woodley was a serial offender even before his RC. I don't agree with Haig subbing Bason when Fale can be used as a 7 as well.
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@Mauss last night was the first time I have seen Coles play and agree with much of what you wrote about him, but I do have one reservation. He seems to be yet another NZ 10 with a pop gun punt. I felt his lack of distance when clearing contributed to NZ getting stuck around their own 22/10 metre line following receiving a kick off. Where have we seen that problem before?
@Crazy-Horse said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
@Mauss last night was the first time I have seen Coles play and agree with much of what you wrote about him, but I do have one reservation. He seems to be yet another NZ 10 with a pop gun punt. I felt his lack of distance when clearing contributed to NZ getting stuck around their own 22/10 metre line following receiving a kick off. Where have we seen that problem before?
That's a fair point. I feel like his tactical kicking is quite good (he was often able to find space in the SA back field) but his line kicking especially tends to come up too short. It's a big advantage to Rico Simpson's game, he gets way more distance.
But looking at Cole's profile in general, he probably needs to add some muscle to his frame. That should help at least a little.
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Hell of a siege mentality from the 13 left on the park
Great game of rugby to watch
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Australia worthy winners, but field a weak scrum at your peril. The Argies kept it close on the back of a solid set piece.
First Argie YC should have been at least a review if not straight red.
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Jeez looked like the South African ducked a bit into that one. I would call that mitigation.
@Crazy-Horse 100%. Definite mitigation as the other lads got to him first and made him fall forward a little bit. Tackler could have got lower but in that situation you’re not sure if the tackle is coming or where exactly it is so late reaction. A case to justify the bunker review.
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Looking ahead to the WC squad, I see that Aisake Vakasiuola is back playing club rugby. Adding him to the forward pack gives you more bulk at lock and another ball-carrier.
@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
Looking ahead to the WC squad, I see that Aisake Vakasiuola is back playing club rugby. Adding him to the forward pack gives you more bulk at lock and another ball-carrier.
Great. Treacy and Tengblad are very skinny locks.
