The USA Women’s Eagles U20s outplayed the Junior Springbok Women by 60-17 in Stellenbosch on Friday afternoon, claiming their second win in as many weeks at the Markötter Stadium.
The USA team held a 31-10 lead at the break and pulled away in the last quarter of the match to seal the series, but not before a strong second-half start by the home side, making it a proper contest.
The USA won the first outing last week by 47-12, and although it was a similar score line this time around, the South Africans’ efforts were much better on a warm winter’s afternoon in Stellenbosch.
South Africa started the match well, following a good kick to the corner. They won the lineout, but were held up. The USA stayed under pressure, though and conceded from the next play, again for the SA U20s to force the 5m-lineout. This time they made no mistake and drive and Jada Davids crashed over for a 5-0 lead after seven minutes of play.
USA struck back immediately, with a number of strong drives committing SA defenders, and Bella Vogel slipped through a gap to dot down. Annie Henrich converted for a 7-5 lead to the USA 10 minutes in.
Kiyanah Edwards then scored after a good second-phase possession, again with the SA U20s not numbering up, and some simple hands gave the wing a free run in.
The USA scored a third unanswered try as their ability to keep the ball in contact was worth five points. They kept the ball alive through various drives, and No 8 Maddie Hubbell crashed over from short range after the first drive was stopped by South Africa. The conversion was good, and the USA threatened to run away with it at 17-5 after 22 minutes of play.
Hubbell scored a second soon after when a poor clearance kick by the Junior Bok Women opened an opportunity for the counterattack, and the USA did not disappoint. Sana’a Lunon (wing) ran hard before finding the support runner on the inside. The conversion was good and the lead 24-5.
South Africa launched their best attack of the match from the restart, with good linking play between backs and forwards gaining many metres. The USA scrambled to hold the Junior Bok Women out, but conceded a penalty. From the resulting scrum, No 8 Palesa Matee picked up and drove over the line for the second try to the home side. Haylee Hardneck pulled the conversion, leaving the score at 24-10 after half an hour.
Hubbell then scored a third by herself, again from a counter-attack by the USA, with the speed of the pass beating the drifting defenders. The No 8 had a clear run in after coming back at an angle past the drift defence. Henrich converted for a 31-10 lead.
The Junior Bok Women launched a good attack with the clock in the red, with a number if drives towards the USA line, but once again, they were held up over the line. The USA again found space following a deep kick and got over the line, but for once, it was South Africa doing the holding up.
The second half started the same way as the first. South Africa attacked well, got over the line, only to be held up yet again. That created some pressure on the visitors, but the hosts just did not have enough match-day experience and guile to convert that into points. They certainly did not lack effort, but their lack of game management was telling.
When they kept it close and through the middle via the forwards, the outcome was more decisive. From such a play, Kaylin Heuvel (flanker) scored. Julene Haas converted, and at 31-17, the home side had something to play for.
Like last week, the South African side had a much better second half and 15 minutes in, actually looked like they could still win this, especially as Owami Mohuli made a number of telling runs and tackles off the bench, giving the crowd something to cheer about.
Replacement flanker Cora Haughey dashed the home side’s hopes, though, when she crashed over a converted try from a maul to extend the USA lead to 38-17 after an hour. That just halted the good momentum and pressure that was building up in the SA camp, with a yellow card conceded, not making life easier at all.
It was the USA who scored again, and suddenly, all the swagger was in their walk. Jasmine Fehoko went over for a 43-17 lead from some good driving play by the pack before a penalty try – for pulling down a second maul shortly after – brought up the 50, but moments later, it was 55 in a blink.
South Africa tried a quick restart, only to find wing Nevaeh Elliott in space and full flight. She scored in the corner. With time running out on the clock, hooker Alyssa Hine dotted down for the 60-17 winning margin.
Scorers:
Junior Springbok Women 17 (10) – Tries: Jada Davids, Palesa Matee, Kaylin Heuvel. Conversion: Julene Haas.
USA U20 60 (31) – Tries: Bella Vogel, Kiyanah Edwards, Maddie Hubbell (3), Cora Haughey, Jasmine Fehoko, Nevaeh Elliott, Alyssa Hine, Penalty Try. Conversions: Annie Henrich (4).
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
