Is U23 international rugby needed?

The changes that were made to age-grade rugby in 2008 have been treated with almost universal applause.

The now defunct U19 and U21 categories were merged into an U20 category and the new-look Junior World Championship was born. It has since been renamed the World Rugby U20 Championship, but has kept the same format since 2008, with an ever-increasing calibre of talent on show.

Despite obviously featuring players younger than was previously showcased in U21 sides, the relatively new U20 format has proven extremely successful in preparing players for the rigours of senior domestic and international rugby. As a result, players are breaking through at a younger age and many of them are having instant success at the next level.

That said, there has been an England U23 tour to South Africa mooted this coming summer, raising questions of whether or not regular fixtures at that level are beneficial and if so, are they also viable?

If England do send an U23 side to South Africa this summer, it promises to be a tantalising spectacle between two nations with plenty of young talent in their player pools. Whilst the likes of Maro Itoje, Anthony Watson, Handrè Pollard and Jesse Kriel are likely to be involved with the senior teams, there’s still a plethora of talent left to fill the U23 squads.

Mike Haley, Charlie Ewels, Jack Clifford and Paul Hill would likely be among those to feature for England, whilst Hanro Liebenberg, RG Snyman, Thomas du Toit and Warrick Gelant would undoubtedly be leading the way for South Africa.

With England under new coach Eddie Jones and South Africa set to name their new coach early in 2016, there’s undoubtedly a lot to play for in this U23 fixture should it come to be. Both sets of players would be keen to impress their new international coaches and it offers those coaches the opportunity to learn more about the young players they have coming through their systems.

It is, however, probably not a format which could be adopted by every nation. England and South Africa have the two biggest player pools in the world and wouldn’t struggle to name their sides, even with senior tours and the U20 Championship occurring at the same time. There is also arguably the depth in France and New Zealand to name all three sides without too much difficulty. Since the introduction of the National Rugby Championship, Australia would also likely be able to participate.

It would be harder to give a definitive answer on Wales or Ireland who, with just four professional teams, may struggle to put together a side, especially if the injury bug strikes. It could compromise their U20 sides, which may have to be raided for players in the build-up to or during the U20 Championship. As for Scotland, Argentina, Italy and the tier two nations, it feels like a step too far.

That is not to write it off as a potentially regular format, however. If it goes ahead and is successful this summer, the England versus South Africa fixture could become an annual event, much as the U18 tournament between England, France, Wales and South Africa has become.

Clubs won’t be too keen on losing their best emerging talent to further rugby and potential injuries over the summer months and that has to be a concern to the national unions, particularly the Rugby Football Union, where a tenuous but effective truce has been found in the club vs country war. No such ceasefire exists in France and would need careful negotiating.

Right now, the mooted match looks to be an extra opportunity for two new international coaches to get a better idea of the players at their disposal, but should it prove a success, it could have a much more global future.