Under-20 World Championship, Day One - team tracker

PREVIEW: Champions France kick off their campaign in defence of the World Rugby Under-20 title against Japan on the first day of the Championship, while hosts South Africa will tackle Georgia in their opening game in Stellenbosch on Saturday.

France enters the tournament as back-to-back champions, having won the 2018 and 2019 editions of the competition.

Hosts South Africa face a tough test in Pool C, as Argentina and the upwardly mobile Italy and Georgia attempt to win their first Under-20 Championship crown.

The Junior Springboks have only once failed to make the semifinals of the World Under-20 Championship, yet their sole title success remains the one they lifted in their home campaign of 2012.

Argentina, beaten by South Africa in the most recent third-place play-off in 2019, will be determined to reach a first final, while Italy and Georgia continue to make strides at this level.

It all means that Pool C could potentially be one full of surprises when the action gets underway at Danie Craven Stadium and Paarl Gymnasium this weekend.

The Junior Boks will be captained by Paul de Villiers while one of the players to watch in the South African side is Masande Mtshali, a winger that can punish his opposition if he gets the space to showcase his pace and finishing ability.

The first match of the day will feature Argentina and Italy before arch-rivals Ireland and England meet at the same venue at 12.30.

Twelve nations will be represented at this year’s championship which includes five of the traditional “Six Nations” from Europe’s top rugby nations namely Ireland, England, Italy, France, and Wales, and will be competing, with Scotland being the only team of the six not to qualify.

In Scotland’s place is Georgia, which is fast becoming one of the top rugby nations in the world.

The four SANZAAR nations have all qualified and are hosts South Africa, Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia.

Completing the competition are South Pacific island nation Fiji and Japan, who are the only Asian representatives.

New Zealand is the most successful nation in the competition’s history, winning a remarkable six of the twelve championships.

Other winners of the Championship include England, who have won twice, whilst hosts South Africa have won one title.

All the Round One teams

Saturday, June 24

Argentina v Italy
(Paarl Gymnasium, Paarl – Kick-off: 11.00; 09.00 GMT)

Teams:

Argentina: TBA

Italy: 15 Simone Brisighella, 14 Alessandro Gesi, 13 Dewi Passarella, 12 Nicola Bozzo, 11 Matthias Leon Douglas, 10 Giovanni Sante, 9 Sebastiano Battara, 8 Jacopo Botturi, 7 Odiase David, 6 Carlos Berlese Lizardo, 5 Pietro Turrisi, 4 Alex Mattiolo, 3 Marcos Franscesco Gallorini, 2 Giovanni Quattrini (captain), 1 Destiny Ugiagbe Aminu.
Replacements: 16 Nicholas Gasperini, 17 Riccardo Bartolini, 18 Federico Domenico Pisani, 19 Enrico Pontarini, 20 Fabio Ruardo, 21 Lorenzo Casilio, 22 Fillippo Bozzoni, 23 Lorenzo ElettriVenue: Paarl Gymnasium

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Reuben Keane (RA), Christopher Allison (SARU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)

England v Ireland
(Paarl Gymnasium, Paarl – Kick-off: 13.00; 11.00 GMT)

Teams

England: 15 Sam Harris, 14 Tobias Elliott, 13, Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Joe Jenkins, 10 Connor Slevin, 9 Charlie Bracken, 8 Chandler Cunningham-South, 7 Greg Fisilau, 6 Finn Carnduff, 5 Lewis Chessum (captain), 4 Harvey Cuckson, 3 Afolabi Fasogbon, 2 Finn Theobald-Thomas, 1 Asher Opoku-Fordjour.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Jibulu, 17 Archie McArthur, 18 James Halliwell, 19 Nathan Michelow, 20 Tristan Woodman, 21 Nye Thomas, 22 Louie Johnson, 23 Jacob Cusick.

Ireland: 15 Henry McErlean, 14 Andrew Osborne, 13 Hugh Cooney, 12 John Devine, 11 Hugh Gavin, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Fintan Gunne, 8 James McNabney, 7 Ruadhan Quinn, 6 Diarmuid Mangan, 5 Conor O’Tighearnaigh, 4 Evan O’Connell, 3 Paddy McCarthy, 2 Gus McCarthy, 1 George Hadden. 
Replacements: 16 Max Clein, 17 George Morris, 18 Fiachna Barrett, 19 Charlie Irvine, 20 Brian Gleeson, 21 Oscar Cawley, 22 Matty Lynch, 23 James Nicholson.

Referee: Luc Ramos (FFR)
Assistant Referees: Morne Ferreira (SARU), Griffin Colby (SARU)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SARU)

France v Japan
(Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch – Kick-off: 14.00; 12.00 GMT)

Teams

France: TBA

Japan: 15 Kohso Nonaka, 14 Renji Oike, 13 Kengo Nonbaka, 12 Yoshiki Omachi, 11 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 10 Kanjiro Naramoto, 9 Asahi Doei, 8 Tenta Kobayashi, 7 Keito Hayashi, 6 Koki Miyashita, 5 Harry Willard, 4 Yuzuki Sasaki, 3 Riku Tomita, 2 Takashi Omoto, 1 Hampei Nishino.
Replacements: 16 Sena Hwang, 17 Tomoki Yumbe, 18 Kosuke Sugiura, 19 Ryotaro Nose, 20 Tomoki Kusuda, 21 Yutaro Takahashi, 22 Genki Ikuta, 23 Ryohei Imano.

Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
Assistant Referees: Angus Mabey (NZR), Dylen November (SARU)
TMO: Matteo Lipirini (FIR)

Wales v New Zealand
(Paarl Gymnasium, Paarl – Kick-off: 16.00; 14.00 GMT)

Teams

Wales: 15 Cameron Winnett, 14 Llien Morgan, 13 Louie Hennessey, 12 Bryn Bradley, 11 Harri Houston, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Archie Hughes, 8 Morgan Morse, 7 Lucas De La Rua, 6 Ryan Woodman, 5 Jonny Green, 4 Liam Edwards, 3 Ellis Fackrell, 2 Lewis Lloyd, 1 Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths.
Replacements:16 Sam Scarfe, 17 Josh Morse, 18 Louis Fletcher, 19 Evan Hill, 20 Seb Driscoll, 21 Tom Florence, 22 Harri Wilde, 23 Harri Williams

New Zealand: 15 Harry Godfrey, 14 Caleb Tangitau, 13 Aki Tuivailala, 12 Ajay Faleafaga, 11 Macca Springer, 10 Taha kemara, 9 Noah Hotham (captain), 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Sam Hainsworth-Fa’aofo, 6 Che Clark, 5 Will Stodart, 4 Tahlor Cahill, 3 Siale Lauaki, 2 Jack Taylor, 1 Ben Ake.
Replacements: 16 Raymond Tuputupu, 17 Malakai Hala, 18 Gabe Robinson, 19 Tom Allen, 20 Malachi Wrampling-Alec, 21 Jordi Viljoen, 22 Leo Gordon, 23 Codemeru Vai..

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Reuben Keane (RA), Christopher Allison (SARU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)

Australia v Fiji
(Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch – Kick-off: 16.30; 14.30 GMT)

Teams

Australia: 15 Mason Gordon, 14 Ronan Leahy, 13 Taj Annan, 12 David Vaihu, 11 Darby Lancaster, 10 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 9 Klayton Thorn, 8 Leafi Talataina, 7 Nick Baker (captain), 6 Lachlan Hooper, 5 Daniel Maiava, 4 Toby Mcpherson, 3 Nick Bloomfield, 2 Lia Bowron, 1 Marly Pearce.
Replacements: 16 Harrison Usher, 17 Max Craig, 18 Trevor King, 19 Ollie McCrea, 20 Ned Slack-Smith, 21 Teddy Wilson, 22 Jack Bowen, 23 Henry O’Donnell.

Fiji: TBA

Referee: Takehito Namekawa (JRFU)
Assistant Referees: Damian Schneider (UAR), Phumzile Mbewu (SARU)
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)

South Africa v Georgia
(Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch – Kick-off: 19.00; 17.00 GMT)

Teams

South Africa: 15 Hakeem Kunene, 14 Jurenzo Julius, 13 Katlego Letebele, 12 Ethan Hooker, 11 Masande Mtshali, 10 Jean Smith, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Abulele Ndabambi, 7 Ghudian van Reenen, 6 Paul de Villiers (captain), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Coetzee Le Roux, 3 Mawande Mdanda, 2 Juann Else, 1 Phatu Ganyane.
Replacements: 16 SJ Kotze, 17 Corné Lavagna, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Jannes Potgieter, 20 Gcinokuhle Mdletshe, 21 Neil le Roux, 22 Damian Markus, 23 Michael Annies.

Georgia: 15 V Mikadze, 14 L Tsirekidze, 13 T Kakhoidze, 12 G Shvelidze, 11 S Aptsiauri, 10 P Khutsishvili, 9 D Khuroshvili, 8 N Lomidze, 7 L Tsikhistavi, 6 R Zazadze, 5 G Nikoladze, 4 G Ghaniashvili, 3 B Tsikhistavi, 2 B Konelidze, 1 G Mamaiashvili.
Replacements: 16 N Babunashvili, 17 L Pkhakadze, 18 L Aptisiauri, 19 GGergedava, 20 T Ganiashvili, 21 S Jigauri, 22 G Kheladze, 23 L Khorbaladze

Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU)
Assistant Referees: Angus Mabey (NZR), Dylen November (SARU)
TMO: Matteo Lipirini (FIR)