World Rugby U20 Championship 2017 fixtures announced
England will begin their title defence against Samoa on 31st May in Tbilisi.
©World Rugby
World Rugby on Wednesday has announced the schedule for the 2017 edition of U20 Championship to be held in Georgia.
The tournament will kick-off on 31st May in Tbilisi and Kutaisi with the defending champions England taking on Samoa followed by New Zealand and Scotland clash.
The 12 teams have been divided equally across three groups with England, Australia, Samoa and Wales placed in Pool A while Pool B consists of last year runner-up Ireland along with Italy, New Zealand and Scotland. Argentina, who finished third in last year's edition has been clubbed with France, host Georgia and South Africa.
The group stage will contain 18 matches which will be played on 31st May, 4th and 8th June while the semi-final will be played on 13th June with the final to be played on 18th June in Tbilisi.
World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont believes the gaining popularity of the tournament will benefit the upcoming talented players to shape their career with the senior team.
"The World Rugby U20 Championship is proving to be an enormously popular and important tournament and it plays a key developmental role in preparing the future stars of the game.
"Rugby is growing at an incredible rate in Georgia and interest is at an all time high. I have no doubt that we'll see passionate and energetic crowds in Tbilisi and Kutaisi next year as all 12 teams put on a masterclass for fans.
"With preparations continuing for Rugby World Cup 2019, many of the players we see in Georgia could also feature on the greatest stage in Japan in just under three years' time."
Meanwhile, Georgia Rugby Union President Gocha Svanidze is confident of hosting the tournament successfully and urged the fans all over the world to turn up in numbers and make the event a grand one.
"The whole country is excited about the fact that in less than a years' time, we will host the future stars of world rugby in Tbilisi and Kutaisi.
"Fans from all over the world can now plan their journey to Georgia to support the future stars of world rugby and experience the world famous Georgian hospitality. We all are determined that, along with the support of our national government and World Rugby, this will be one of the most successful U20 Championships.”
