Winners of the last two editions of the Under-20 World Cup, in 2018 and 2019, Les Bleuets dream of a hat-trick in 2023. After two group matches, it is certain that they will not be far from the stated objective. Easy winners of Japan on Saturday with a total of 12 tries scored (75-12), they did it again early Thursday afternoon against the young New Zealanders who had a bad time on the muddy ground of the Paarl Gymnasium (35 -14).
Defeated, they suffered, dominated in all areas of the game, especially in conquest. In the second half, the All Blacks took their heads out of the water, about twenty minutes, with two tries. But 20 minutes is too light to scare and overturn Posolo Tuilagi and his gang.
Posolo Tuilagi en leader
The second line is not the captain, nor the vice-captain, but he gives the impression of dragging all the others in his wake to crush the opponent. Absent against Japan because he arrived in South Africa too late because of a visa problem, Tuilagi started on Thursday afternoon, and it was seen, very quickly, and for a long time, and all over the pitch: in defense despite an extraordinary physique that does not prevent him from moving and tackling anything in front of him, and in attack, on the balls carried, the famous mauls where he replaces the hooker with some success. He dived twice in the in-goal, and was also decisive on the last wonder of the Blues, scored in the last minutes of the game by Brent Liufau, happy to be able to dominate Ajay Faleafaga, his cousin, who is part of the New Zealand selection.
With two other tries scored by Theo Attissogbe and Baptiste Jauneau and a clear round ahead of Hugo Reus, the French are not far from the semi-finals. They now have to face the Welsh, who suffered to overcome the Japanese (41-19). The meeting will take place on Tuesday (4:30 p.m.). As a reminder, in order to validate your ticket for the last four, you must finish first in one of the three groups or win the place of best second.
Note also that the Blueberries, as against the Japanese, took two yellow cards. Jauneau and Paul Costes were sanctioned after the break.
