The world's best U20 teams head to SA again
NEWS: South Africa will play host to World Rugby’s Under-20 Championship for the second consecutive year when it takes place in the Western Cape from June 29 to July 19 this year.
South Africa hosts back-to-back U20 Championships featuring the best 12 U20 nations in the world.
The U20 Championship will be played over five match days at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch. The final will be played at Cape Town Stadium on July 19.
The world’s best 12 nations have been placed into three pools of four with three-time consecutive winners France placed in Pool A alongside New Zealand, Wales and Spain, who will make their debut after winning the World Rugby U20 Trophy in 2023.
After claiming a bronze medal with a superb defensive and forward display, the Junior Springboks will look to impress again on home soil and face England, Argentina and Fiji in Pool C while 2023 runners-up Ireland, Australia, Georgia and Italy make up Pool B.
World Rugby U20 Championship 2024 participating teams: Argentina, Australia, England, Fiji, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and Wales.
The U20 Trophy will be contested by eight teams in Scotland from July 2-17 as World Rugby continues its commitment to the U20 pathways with investments to increase rugby’s competitiveness globally
The two age-grade tournaments are a key part of the international federation’s investment in increasing the competitiveness of global rugby by providing a meaningful pathway to the elite level for talented young players.
The showpiece tournaments, first held in 2008, have seen more than 1,550 players go on to make their test debut after playing on this stage, including 32 Rugby World Cup winners.
Scotland aiming for promotion on home soil
The World Rugby U20 Trophy 2024 switches to the northern hemisphere after a successful event in Kenya in 2023. Played in Scotland over four match days at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh, the 2024 edition will feature eight teams fighting for promotion to the World Rugby U20 Championship 2025.
While five teams are already confirmed, three nations must still qualify via regional competitions in Africa, North America and Oceania. Samoa and Tonga will meet in the Oceania play-off on March 8 in Auckland, New Zealand with the winner joining the U20 Trophy line-up, while Africa will be represented by the U20 Barthés Trophy champion and North America by the winner of a play-off between Canada and USA.
Scotland will hope to make the most of home advantage to claim the title and return to the U20 Championship for the first time since they were relegated in 2019. They have been placed in Pool A with Japan, Hong Kong China and the Oceania qualifier while the Pool B will see U20 Trophy debutants the Netherlands facing Uruguay and qualified teams from Africa and North America.
The World Rugby U20 Trophy 2024 participating teams are: Japan (relegated from the U20 Championship in 2023), Scotland (hosts), Hong Kong China (Asia), Netherlands (Europe), Uruguay (South America) and Africa, North America and Oceania representatives.
World Rugby Chairman, Sir Bill Beaumont said: “The U20 pathway is at the heart of our ambition to develop competitiveness globally.
“Since their inception in 2008, the World Rugby U20 Championship and Trophy have provided exciting opportunities for the future stars of the game to express their talents and develop before reaching test level as well as a compelling spectacle for anyone interested in our game.
“South Africa and Scotland will be fantastic hosts and provide ideal conditions for the 20 best U20 teams in the world to perform and I would like to thank our two member unions for taking up the hosting challenge. I am convinced many of the talented young players featuring in these competitions will leave their mark, not only on these two tournaments but also on international rugby later down the line.”
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said South Africa is looking forward to welcoming back the world’s best young players in the beautiful city of Cape Town: “We have a proud history of successfully staging world-class events and we are extremely proud to be hosting the World Rugby U20 Championship for a second successive year in the Western Cape.
“Despite the challenging weather we experienced at times during last winter’s successful tournament, our enthusiastic rugby supporters truly showed their passion for the game and eagerness to see the world’s best young players in action by turning out in numbers in Stellenbosch and Cape Town.”
Oberholzer said planning for the tournament with World Rugby and key stakeholders is already well-advanced: “We are determined to improve on last year’s event and to present a memorable, world-class tournament that players, match officials and rugby fans – locals and from abroad – will thoroughly enjoy.”
U20 CHAMPIONSHIP 2024 Pools
Pool A
France (1)
Wales (6)
New Zealand (7
Spain (12)
Pool B
Ireland (2)
Australia (5)
Georgia (8)
Italy (11)
Pool C
South Africa (3)
England (4)
Argentina (9)
Fiji (10)
Pool matches
Match day 1: Saturday, June 29
Match day 2: Thursday, July 4
Match day 3: Tuesday, July 9
Knockout matches
Match day 4: Sunday, July 14
Match day 5 (final): Friday, July 19
