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Los Pumitas were outclassed by the Junior Springboks to start the 2026 u20 Rugby Championship. Argentina’s performance was substandard with South Africa holding a 36-0 half-time lead en route to completing a 48-12 victory at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
In a rarity, Los Pumitas played a match with a Spanish-Speaking match official. Argentina’s Gonzalo de Achával, a regular in Super Rugby Americas, was the referee. de Achával did not influence the course of the contest; indeed, South Africa rampaged early to score four tries in the opening quarter.
It started with a bang for the Junior Springboks as future star, Ethan Adams scored in the 2nd minute of play. The inside center added a second try later on the first-half while right winger, Jack Benade scored a hat-trick in the match for the Junior Springboks.
In total there were six tries scored in the opening half. All six of the first-half tries were scored by the Junior Springboks. Argentina was unable to score until the final quarter of the contest. Before replacement Federico Torre scored his double and captain Tomás Dande scored his try, the Junior Springboks had scored eight tries.
South Africa were 48-0 ahead at the close of the third quarter. Torre’s two tries for Los Pumitas were from pick-and-go carries inches out from the try zone. Dante’s score was the best Argentine try of the three as a wide pass to Dante was followed by the flanker getting passed three defenders.
The match was the second of the day. Game One was a highly competitive showdown between Australia and New Zealand. The Baby Blacks were 34-29 winners. New Zealand went from victory to watching Argentina lose badly against South Africa. New Zealand face Argentina in the round two match on Sunday, May 03.
 SCORING |
Junior Springboks (48)
TRY – E Adams 2 (2′, 24′); H Schoeman (7′); Y Ahmed (14′); J Benade 3 (18′, 33′, 54′); O Reid (49′)
CON – Y Ahmed 4 (8′, 15′, 25′, 50′)
Los Pumitas (21)
TRY – F Torre 2 (61′, 78′); T Dande (72′)
CON – M Giannantonio 3 (62′, 73′, 79′)
| LINE-UPS |
Junior Springboks
1 Rambo Kubheka, 2 Liam Van Wyk, 3 Danie Kruger, 4 Heinrich Theron, 5 Riley Norton (capt.), 6 Luke Canon, 7 Thomas Beling, 8 Kebotile Maake, 9 Hendré Schoeman, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 11 Lindsey Jansen, 12 Ethan Adams, 13 Samuel Badenhorst, 14 Jack Benade, 15 Alzeadon Felix
Replacements: 16 Mahle Sithole, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Kai Pratt, 19 JD Hattingh, 20 Risima Khosa, 21 Jayden Brits, 22 Vusi Moyo, 23 Khuthadzo Rasivhaga
Los Pumitas
1 Benjamín Farías Cerioni, 2 Nicolás Cambiasso, 3 Bautista Salinas Mealla, 4 Jeremy Annand, 5 Agustín Ponzio, 6 Tomás Dande (capt.), 7 Joaquín Pascual Viale, 8 Basilio Cañas, 9 Ignacio Zabella, 10 Manuel Giannantonio, 11 Mateo Tanoni, 12 Pedro Coll, 13 Ramón Fernández, 14 Constantino Keller, 15 Luciano Avaca
Replacements: 16 Manuel Cuneo, 17 Fabrizio Cebron, 18 Federico Narváez, 19 Jerónimo Serondo, 20 Federico Torre, 21 Juan Preumayr, 22 Benjamín Ordiz, 23 Simón Pfister
| MATCH HIGHLIGHTS |
