Scarlets flanker Jac Morgan looked as if he had capped off the perfect end to an enthralling encounter when he caught South Africa napping to crash over with two minutes to go. But SA Schools replacement Jurich Claasens found a hole in the Wales defence to seal a 43-40 triumph at Boland Landbou.
Chris Horsman’s men bulldozed themselves into the lead after four minutes. A promising lineout drive was pulled down illegally by the baby Boks, but the ball was recycled to Aneurin Owen, who was shunted over the line by three of his teammates after being initially held up in the tackle.Â
Outside-half Sam Costelow knocked the simple conversion between the uprights, but the hosts’ response was immediate. South Africa marched downfield and mauled Wales to within metres of their line before sending the ball went through the hands of Juan Mostert and Rynhardt Jonker, who sent Stravino Jacobs in at the corner.
Wales clicked into gear to make sure the fast and furious start swung back their way. A devastating move which started in the Wales half sent Joe Roberts clean through in midfield, before he found Ewan Rosser in space. The wing charged down the right flank and was stopped just short, but Roberts was there to scoop up and score.Â
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South Africa hit straight back as they flexed their muscles at a short-range maul to drive hooker Jean-Jacques Kotze over, but Thomas Bursey failed to convert to leave the scores at 14-10. Another strong driving maul then laid the platform for centre Mnombo Zwelindaba to puncture the defence and crash over from short range to put South Africa one-point ahead.
Wales got their noses back in-front after 25 minutes when tighthead Luke Yendle barged over from 5 metres out after a charge from front-row colleague Cameron Lewis. Costelow kept his cool to land his third conversion to send Wales into a 21-15 lead.
There was still time for giant no. 8 Celimpilo Gumede to crash over before the half-time whistle to earn South Africa a 22-21 advantage.Â
The hosts continued to pile the pressure on after the restart, but the defence held firm until outside-half Juan Mostert cut through after 51 minutes to extend the lead to 29-21. The end to end action continued in the second period and Wales were soon back to within three points when flanker Morgan rounded his man to sprint home from 20 metres out. It got even better for Wales when Costelow disrupted the SA Schools attack to scoop up the ball and take it to the line for a try. The Exiles product landed the conversion to take his personal tally to 13 points and the score to 33-29 in Wales’ favour.
But the lead did not last long after Jac Price was sent to the sin-bin. South Africa once drove the resulting maul with devastating effect to allow Kotze to crash over for his second try. But Morgan produced a sublime piece of opportunistic play to seemingly snatch the game with three minutes to spare.
The Scarlets openside got his hands on the ball to win a penalty deep inside enemy territory before catching the defence napping with a quick tap to force his way over for the score. But there was to be another sickening twist as the clock turned red. A not straight throw at the lineout gifted the ball back to South Africa, and after six energy-sapping phases, replacement scrum-half Claasens sniped through a gap and went all the way to win it at the death.
The conversion was good to seal a thrilling 43-40 result.
South Africa Schools: Tries – Stravino Jacobs, Jean-Jacques Kotze (2), Mnombo Zwelindaba, Celimpilo Gumede, Juan Mostert, Jurich Claasens. Cons – Thomas Bursey (2), Claasens.
Wales U18: Tries – Aneurin Owen, Joe Roberts, Luke Yendle, Morgan, Costelow, Jac Morgan (2) Cons – Sam Costelow (4), Evan Lloyd.
South Africa Schools: Rynhardt Jonker (Sharks/Glenwood); Lwandile Menze (Sharks/Durban HS), Muzilikazi Manyike (Golden Lions/Jeppe Boys HS, captain), Mnombo Zwelindaba, Build-it Border/Selborne College, Stravino Jacobs (Western Province/Paarl Gymnasium); Juan Mostert (Western Province/Paul Roos Gymnasium) Thomas Bursey (Border/Selborne College); Dewald Donald (Blue Bulls/Affies), Jean-Jacques Kotze (Western Province/Paul Roos Gymnasium), Herman Agenbag (Free State/Grey College), Sibusiso Sangweni (Sharks/Kearsney College), Emile van Heerden (Western Province/Paarl Boys HS), Keketso Morabe (Griffons/Welkom Gimnasium), Mihlali Mgolodela (Western Province/Rondebosch Boys HS), Celimpilo Gumede (Sharks/Durban HS)
Replacements are (from):Â
Forwards: Jacques Goosen (hooker, Border/Selborne College, Thabiso Mdletshe (prop, Sharks/Durban HS), Hanru Jacobs (prop, Western Province/Paul Roos Gymnasium), Lunga Ncube (lock, Sharks/Glenwood), Uzile Tele (flanker, Border/Hudson Park HS), Adrian Alberts (lock, Western Province/Paarl Boys HS), Tristan Dullisear (flanker, Golden Lions/Monument), Jarrod Taylor (flanker, Border/Selborne College), Evan Roos (No 8, Western Province/Paarl Boys HS), De Wet Marais (flanker, Free State/Grey College).
Backs: Jurich Claasens (scrum half, Blue Bulls/Garsfontein), Brendan Venter (centre, Western Province/Paul Roos Gymnasium), Wyclef Vlitoor (winger, Free State/Grey College), Sibabalwe Xamlashe (full back, Border/Selborne College), Darren Hendricks (full back, Western Province/Boland Landbou).?
Wales U18
Ioan Lloyd (Clifton College/Bristol/Exiles), Ewan Rosser (Coleg Gwent/Dragons), Joe Roberts (Coleg Sir Gar/Scarlets), Aneurin Owen (Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw/Dragons), Louis Rees-Zammit (Hartpury College/Exiles), Sam Costelow (Oakham School/Exiles), Dan Babos (Dragons Academy/Dragons), Garyn Phillips (Coleg y Cymoedd/Cardiff Blues), Cameron Lewis (Coleg Sir Gar/Ospreys), Luke Yendle (Newport High/Dragons), Teddy Williams (Ysgol Glantaf/Cardiff Blues), Jac Price (Coleg Sir Gar/Scarlets), Robert Brookson (c) (Coleg Gwent/Dragons), Jac Morgan (Coleg Sir Gar/Scarlets), Ioan Davies (Coleg y Cymoedd/Cardiff Blues)
Replacements: Llew Phillips-Taylor (Coleg Sir Gar/Scarlets), Callum Williams (Maes y Gwendraeth/Scarlets), Ben Warren (Coleg y Cymoedd/Cardiff Blues), Archie Griffin (Marlborough College/Exiles), Carwyn Tuipulotu (Sedbergh School/Scarlets), Olly White (Llandovery College/RGC), Morgan French (Bromsgrove/Worcester), Ellis Bevan (Bryanston/Exiles), Evan Lloyd (Coleg Gwent/Dragons), Harri Doel (Coleg Sir Gar/Scarlets), Morgan Richards (Newport High/Dragons), Osian Knott (Coleg Sir Gar/Scarlets).
