Osaka - The South African Under-20 team on Saturday booked their place in the IRB Junior World Championship semi-finals after staging a remarkable second half comeback to defeat France 43-27 in their third and final Pool C fixture in Osaka.

The Baby Boks will play England, who outclassed Samoa 52-7, in Wednesday's second semi-final. Australia will play New Zealand in the first final-four fixture.

"Compliments to the guys on their amazing performance against France, especially after going down 20-0 in the first-half. The players showed great character and I am really proud of this result," said coach Eric Sauls after the match.

"I told the players at half time that if we put the French under pressure, they'll concede penalties for us to score points as they are a very emotional team when it comes to pressure situations on the field. That's exactly what happened.

"A lot of credit must also go to the manner in which the guys kept their cool. We stuck to the basics and to our structures and as a result, despite playing catch-up rugby, scored five tries in 50 minutes in a pressure game. We never allowed the French any momentum in the second half.

"The guys will enjoy and celebrate this great win and we'll start our preparations for the England game on Monday."

France gained an early 10-0 lead after only five minutes of play, thanks to flyhalf Pierre Bernard, who opened the scoring with a penalty kick, before Alexandre Lapandry scored the first try of the match which was converted by Bernard.

French centre Geoffrey Doumayrou then crossed the try-line to score their second try in the 20th minute which was also converted by Bernard (20-0).

However, the turning point of the match came following the sin-binning of Bernard, who was yellow-carded for an early tackle on South African centre Francois Brummer. The Baby Boks scored 21 points during his period off the field.

Vodacom Blue Bulls winger Sampie Mastriet ran in to score the first of his two tries after Brummer kicked two penalty goals before the half-time break (20-11).

The Baby Boks then piled on the pressure against a 14-man French side after the break and were trailing by a single point at 20-19 after five minutes of play in the second half when lock Jan Andre Marais dived over to score South Africa's second try which was converted by Brummer, who also kicked a penalty goal after the French were penalized for off-side play.

South African fullback Sias Ebersohn then kicked a brilliant drop-kick to hand the SA side the lead in the seventh minute (22-20) of the second half.

Baby Boks halfbacks, scrumhalf Ross Cronje and flyhalf Lionel Cronje, both crossed the try-line before winger Mastriet ran in to score his second try of the match which was converted by Brummer to hand the South Africans a commanding 43-20 lead.

The only points the Baby Boks conceded in the second half was when Welsh referee James Jones awarded a penalty try to the French three minutes before the final whistle (43-27) after he penalized SA forwards for an infringement at a scrum.

Scores: South Africa - Tries: Sampie Mastriet (2), Jan Andre Marais, Ross Cronje, Lionel Cronje; Conversions: Francois Brummer (3); Penalties: Brummer (3); Drop-goal: Sias Ebersohn. France - Tries: Alexandre Lapandry, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Penalty try; Conversions: Pierre Bernard (3); Penalties: Bernard (2).