South Africa U20 coach Bafana Nhleko has told his players that on Friday could be the last time ever they don the Green and Gold.
The Junior Springboks came up short at the U20 World Championship on home soil, losing to Italy in the group stage before going down to Ireland in the semifinal.
Friday, they will have one more shot in the tournament when they face England at Athlone Stadium at 4.30pm for bronze.
Playing the curtain-raiser for the final between Ireland and France at 7pm, Nhelko says of their motivation for the match: “We’ve said, for some of them, it’s just life. They might never get to wear the Green and Gold again. We hope they all do, but we know that’s not how life works.
“So it’s important that they give a good account of themselves and not just for the group, but really to show what they’re capable of.”
FRIDAY’S U20 WORLD CHAMPS FIXTURES
Danie Craven Stadium: Italy v Japan (11th-place playoff, 12pm), Fiji v Argentina (for ninth place, 2.30pm), Georgia v New Zealand (for seventh place, 5pm). Athlone Stadium: Wales v Australia (for fifth place, 2pm), South Africa v England (for third place, 4.30pm), Ireland v France (final, 7pm).