The Junior Springboks proved once again why they are the benchmark of world age-grade rugby, battling past France 16-5 to retain the World Rugby Junior World Championship title at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Saturday. Their latest triumph not only secured consecutive world crowns but also cemented South Africa's place among the tournament's elite, becoming just the fourth nation to win back-to-back championships.
The victory was anything but straightforward. South Africa had three tries ruled out throughout the contest but refused to let frustration derail their title defence. Fly-half Yaqeen Ahmed kept the scoreboard moving with an impressive 11-point haul from the kicking tee before Markus Muller crossed for the Junior Springboks' only try. France briefly threatened after flanker Raphael Audebert touched down early in the second half, but the defending champions responded with relentless physicality to close out the final.
The championship success also marked South Africa's 11th consecutive victory in the competition, underlining their dominance on the international junior stage. Captain Siphosethu Mnebelele, who also lifted the trophy in 2025, described retaining the title as a special achievement, while head coach Kevin Foote praised his players for their resilience and composure against a determined French side.
Elsewhere, New Zealand claimed third place with an entertaining 41-26 victory over England, powered by two tries from lock Finn McLeod. Scotland equalled their best-ever tournament finish of fifth after holding off Wales 28-21 despite ending the match with only 13 players following two yellow cards.
Australia finished seventh after defeating Argentina 52-29, with hooker John Greenfell scoring twice. Ireland secured ninth place by overcoming Italy 34-26, while Fiji celebrated an impressive return to the tournament with a 30-10 win over hosts Georgia to finish 11th.
History was also made in Kutaisi, where the United States earned their first-ever victory at the Junior World Championship on their 15th attempt, producing a stunning 39-15 comeback against Uruguay after scoring 39 unanswered points. Japan rounded off the tournament with a 34-26 victory over Spain to finish 13th, recording two wins in a single edition for the first time.
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