World Rugby U20 Championship Preview

The World Rugby U20 Championship, or Junior World Championship as it was formerly known, kicks off next month in Italy.

With squad announcements rolling in over the past few weeks, we’ve decided to run the rule over the contenders for this year’s tournament.

The tournament will be entering its eighth year and has proven to be a happy hunting ground for New Zealand, England and South Africa, who are the only three teams to have lifted the trophy. This age-grade ‘big three’ remain overwhelming favourites for the championship, but before we get on to them, there are a number of dark horses worthy of mention.

Australia and France are two teams that have historically struggled at the competition. As it is with their senior side, the Australian team’s Achilles heel has often been their scrum and that tends to prove too big of handicap when they take on the likes of South Africa and England. It’s a little harder to put your finger on why France struggle, who regularly perform well in the U20 Six Nations, but they seem to lose all consistency once the showpiece competition rolls around.

Both countries have a number of standout individual players, with France’s Sekou Macalou and Arthur Bonneval, and Australia’s Andrew Kellaway and Lolo Fakaosilea, amongst the best players who will be on show at the tournament, but it’s hard to foresee either side ending their trophy drought this year.

Two other sides who should be prevalent, but may struggle to jump that final hurdle, are Ireland and Wales. Wales were defeated finalists in 2013, whilst Ireland had their most successful tournament to date in 2014, finishing fourth. Both sides looked dangerous during the U20 Six Nations, but they also lacked the consistency to win the tournament, with Wales finishing fourth and Ireland settling for a very disappointing fifth.

Working in Wales’ favour is the balance of their squad, which has the combination of physical and technical ability that has become a penchant of New Zealand, England and South Africa at this level. Ireland on the other hand aren’t quite as well balanced as Wales, but have a back line which is a match for anyone in the tournament. In fact, Ireland’s overall squad might be the most talented they have ever brought to the tournament.

The Welsh have a trio of powerful props in Luke Garrett, Leon Brown and Dillon Lewis, whilst their work will be built on by a formidable engine room and back row. As for Ireland, gaining set-piece parity will be key, as they will then be able to unleash the likes of Ross Byrne and Garry Ringrose. It would not be surprising to see either team in the semi-finals of the tournament, but a place in the final may be a case of unrealistic optimism.

New Zealand enter the championship having not won it since it was last hosted by Italy, back in 2011, and will hope that proves to be a good omen for them next month. They looked good in the recent Oceania Rugby Junior Championships in Australia, winning the tournament, which included a 75-0 dismantling of Japan, as well as a 46-29 win over local rivals Australia. Three years without a world championship will feel like an age for the Baby All Blacks and they are well set to end their recent wait.

Tevita Li and Anton Lienert-Brown, who both featured for New Zealand in the Oceania Championships, will bring to the World Rugby Championship plenty of Super Rugby experience. Both of these backs are lethal at age-grade level and should be given a good foundation by a powerful pack boasting talents such as Geoffrey Cridge, Tau Koloamatangi and Liam Polwart.

This year’s U20 Six Nations champions, England head to Italy looking for their third-straight victory at the tournament, as they look to hunt down New Zealand’s record four-straight triumphs from 2008-2011. England have suffered through a lot of turnover this last season, with the likes of Maro Itoje and Nathan Earle all moving on to senior rugby, but were still able to win the U20 Six Nations earlier this year. England were at far from their best during the Six Nations but with Jon Callard using the tournament to give new players experience and try out untested combinations, much as they did in 2014, they head to the world championships in good shape.

The front row of Ellis Genge, Jack Walker and Paul Hill is arguably the best at the tournament, whilst Charlie Ewels, Charlie Beckett and James Chisholm help round out a pack which should be more than competitive in Italy. The back line and general depth of the squad is not quite where it was in 2013 or 2014, but in centre Joe Marchant, England have an electric talent and lethal finisher, who could well be in the mix for the World Rugby Junior Player of the Year.

South Africa round out our trio of favourites and are in a very good position this year to join New Zealand and England as multiple winners of the competition. The Junior Springboks have amassed a colossal side that would not look out of place in test rugby, let alone at age-grade level. They should be able to overpower their pool opponents Australia, Samoa and Italy without too much trouble and are likely to have a good seeding for the semi-finals. The powerful tight fives of England and Wales, or the dynamic back line of New Zealand, are likely to be the biggest challenges this South African side faces.

Lock RG Snyman is in a race against time to be fit for the championships, but even without him, the Junior Springbok pack is a formidable proposition. Thomas du Toit, one of the most impressive young props in world rugby, helps anchor the scrum, whilst fellow Shark Dan du Preez has been uprooting trees left, right and centre over the last year. Joining du Preez in the back row will be likely captain Hanro Liebenberg and they could well set the standard in back row play at this year’s tournament.

It would be a brave person to bet against New Zealand, England and South Africa winning their pools, though New Zealand and England will have to be wary of Ireland and Wales respectively. Winning their pools would secure these three teams a place in the semi-finals, where they will be joined by the best runner-up from across the three pools.

On paper, Ireland’s chances look good with Argentina and Scotland in their pool, but let’s not forget that Scotland beat Ireland in this year’s U20 Six Nations and have put together one of their best age-grade sides in recent years. France and Wales are both also candidates, but could take points away from each other playing in the same pool, leaving Australia as early favourites. They could potentially secure bonus points wins over Samoa and Japan, something they have already done in this year’s Oceania Rugby Junior Championships.

There’s no end of permutations to contemplate, plus it would be rare for one of the ‘big three’ not to suffer an unexpected loss early in the tournament, potentially blowing things wide open for the second tier of Wales, Ireland and Australia. The blend of power, pace and Super Rugby experience in the South African side makes them an enticing pick, but certainly don’t rule out New Zealand or England upsetting the Junior Boks’ party in the final.