Baby Boks to battle England again
The South African Under-20 team will face England, the team that dumped them out of this year’s tournament, in the pool stages of the IRB Junior World Championships in Cape Town and Stellenbosch next year.
The tournament, which will feature the world’s top 12 ranked Under-20 teams, will take place between June 4 and 22 next year.
Defending champions New Zealand will face Fiji Wales and Samoa in Pool A while the Baby Boks and England will take on Italy and Ireland in Pool B and Pool C will see Australia, France, Argentina and Scotland battle it out.
In a move from recent championships, the 2012 event will feature just two venues with triple-headers being played across five match days to maximise crowds and create a festival format within what is a large rugby heartland.
Two venues with strong rugby heritage have been selected with the University of Western Cape Stadium in Cape Town sharing the matches with the Danie Craven Stadium, which will host the Final on June 22.
IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “The IRB Junior World Championships has grown to become one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the global rugby calendar, delivering a competitive development pathway for our unions as well as a fantastic competitive product which has proven a hit with fans and broadcasters.”
“So far, 111 players have made the step up from the tournament to win full Test caps, including 49 players who made their mark at Rugby World Cup 2011.
“We look forward to another memorable tournament in 2012 and the opportunity to embrace the rich rugby heritage of the region with the dynamic and free-flowing rugby provided by the next generation of international Test stars,” he added.
The South Africa Rugby Union (SARU) is committed to delivering a tournament to further the growth of rugby within the country, while building on the record-breaking 2011 edition staged in the Veneto region of Italy which was screened live by 19 broadcasters to 142 territories.
IRB Tournament Director Philippe Bourdarias, speaking in South Africa for the announcement, said: “The IRB Junior World Championships is strategically important both for the IRB and participating Unions as it provides a competitive international arena to test and develop some of the best up and coming players and referees in the world.”
“South Africa has a proven record in hosting wonderful rugby events and I am sure the teams and players will enjoy a unique experience here next year,” said Bourdarias.
SARU President Oregan Hoskins commented: “We are delighted to host the IRB Junior World Championships 2012 in our rugby-mad country and we look forward to welcoming the teams here in June.”
2012 IRB Junior World Championships pools:
Pool A: New Zealand, Fiji, Wales and Samoa
Pool B: England, South Africa, Ireland and Italy
Pool C: Australia, France, Argentina and Scotland
