Junior Springboks wallop Zimbabwe 40-0

South Africa 'A' coach Mzandile Stick has praised the character and resilience of his young side following their convincing 40-0 victory over the Zimbabwe Sables, describing the performance as a promising glimpse into the future of South African rugby.

Although satisfied with the six-try triumph, Stick admitted that his team left several scoring opportunities on the field and could have posted an even larger margin of victory.

However, he reserved special praise for the defensive effort that saw South Africa ‘A' keep the Rugby World Cup-bound Zimbabwe national rugby union team scoreless throughout the contest.

The victory was built on disciplined defence and moments of attacking brilliance from several emerging stars, including flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed and winger Zekhethelo Siyaya.

Ahmed produced one of the highlights of the match with a superb solo try and impressed with his all-round play before his afternoon ended prematurely after receiving a red card.

Siyaya also caused problems for the Zimbabwean defence with his pace and attacking flair before being forced off the field with a head injury shortly before halftime.

Reflecting on the performances of the two youngsters, Stick said their contributions underlined the depth of talent emerging within South African rugby.

"Siyaya was injured by his teammate and lost some network there," Stick said.

"Even after the game, he was not sure where he was. He is still alive and moved around in the changeroom, but he was still in Disneyland."

On Ahmed's dismissal, Stick stressed the importance of respecting the laws of the game while recognising that young players inevitably learn through experience.

"With Yaqeen, it was a red card, and we must respect the match official's calls," he said.

"It is a young kid getting something wrong, and we have to keep the game clean. He took a player out in the air, which we don't want in our systems.

"He was just unfortunate in that situation. But he is okay. Yaqeen had some excellent touches on the field; he is only 19."

Stick acknowledged that both incidents were disappointing but said they would serve as valuable learning experiences for the players.

"From my side, the cards were disappointing, but the players will learn. As long as we learn and improve," he added.

The coach also praised the Zimbabwe Sables for providing a stern examination despite the final scoreline.

According to Stick, the match was approached with the intensity and discipline of a Test match, particularly given the limited time the squad had spent together before the fixture.

"It was all about controlling the game for us, like we were playing a Test, and to see how my game drivers would handle things," he said.

"Yes, sometimes it is frustrating not getting the points. We were unlucky in the first half with two tries disallowed."

Despite those setbacks, Stick was encouraged by the team's ability to remain composed under pressure and continue competing at a high level.

"Those points didn't show on the scoreboard, but the guys stayed in the fight when Zim put us under pressure. But we managed to keep a clean sheet," he said.

"Some youngsters took their opportunities and put their hand up."

The performance provides a timely confidence boost for South Africa's emerging players ahead of upcoming international assignments, including the World Rugby Under-20 Championship campaign, where several members of the squad are expected to feature.

For Zimbabwe, the match offered valuable preparation ahead of their return to the global stage, while South Africa ‘A' will take encouragement from a performance that showcased both the depth of the country's rugby talent and the strength of its development pathway.