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Junior Wallabies shock rugby world by demolishing New Zealand in Oceania U20s Championship final

The Junior Wallabies nilled New Zealand at Bond University. Credit: Oceania Rugby/Sportography

The Junior Wallabies have won the Oceania U20s Championship for the first time leaving New Zealand scoreless 24-nil at Bond University on the Gold Coast on Saturday night.

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In front of 2,136 strong crowd, the Junior Wallabies have finished their Oceania campaign on a high, remaining undefeated. It marks the second time in history that Australia has defeated the New Zealand U20s.

Australia’s Will Harris kicked 14 points at Bond University to secure the Junior Wallabies win adding to his championship total of 33.

Junior Wallabies Head Coach Jason Gilmore said: “We have prepped well for a good performance tonight and the boys delivered.

“The most pleasing aspect was to keep our opposition scoreless in our last two matches.

“Winning is a habit and we aimed to win this tournament which is a great effort.

“However, we can’t get carried away. The World Championship is the aim and we need to stay humble, keep working hard and enjoy what we do,” Gilmore said.

The Junior Wallabies now look ahead to the World Rugby U20s Championship in Argentina in June where they will face Italy, England and Ireland in Pool B.

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In the earlier match of the day, Fiji took out their first win of the Championship defeating Junior Japan 57-39.

After staring down the Haka the Junior Wallabies were first to receive the ball in slippery conditions on the Gold Coast. The Junior Wallabies took to the scoreboard first with Will Harrison starting the match on a high and converting his first penalty of the night. After a fierce aerial battle, Australia yet again won the ball back of the visitors and Harrison continued his accuracy slotting the points to give the Junior Wallabies a 6-nil lead.

New Zealand would attempt to strike next following a Junior Wallabies penalty but New Zealand’s Fergus Blake missed the kick as Australia’s maintained the lead. A subsequent offensive from the All Blacks saw them succumb to the defensive wall of the Junior Wallabies, and a penalty to the men in Gold again saw Will Harrison continue his pinpoint accuracy extending the lead 9-nil.

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A dominate Australian scum continued its form and allowed the team to retain the ball on their own line. The following penalty saw Harrison again opt for the kicking tee as he extended the Australian to 12-nil lead. A powerful Australian outfit continued to steal New Zealand ball, however the slippery conditions saw the Junior Wallabies turn the ball over with a penalty. However New Zealand’s Fergus Blake was again unsuccessful in adding the extras.

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A powerful rolling maul from the New Zealand side followed and saw the Junior Wallabies defensive efforts put to the limit, with Will Harris issued with a yellow card to following a high tackle and the Australian’s heading into the sheds up 12-nil at halftime.

Following the kick off a powerful Junior Wallabies scrum saw star flyhalf Will Harrison regather the ball and kick it deep into New Zealand territory as the Junior Wallabies continued to apply the pressure. It was here that Noah Lolesio regathered the ball and put it up in the air, across the field and into the hands of Triston Reilly who would then cross over for Australia’s first try of the match, taking the Junior Wallabies to 17-nil at the midpoint of the second half.

A maul off the back of a lineout followed the restart and saw captain Fraser McReight crossing the line in what would be the last try of the match. Harrison again added the extras extending the Australian lead 24-nil.

It was at this point coach Gilmore called on the reinforcements with Pat Tafa, Esei Ha’angana and Bo Abra coming on to replace Will Harris, Trevor Hosea and Angus Bell. They had an immediate effect with Australia again overpowering a New Zealand maul to earn the lineout for themselves and again regaining the ball.

The last few minutes of the game saw the side bolstered by Nathan Lawson, Ollie Barden, Carlo Tizzano, Ben Donaldson, Henry Robertson who replaced Harry Wilson, Josh Nasser, Fraser McReight, Will Harrison and Michael McDonald to ensure the men in gold kept the visitors scoreless at full time.

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R
RedWarrior 27 minutes ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

1 Go to comments
G
GS 1 hour ago
Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

The key is realising this AB side is not what they are now but what they will be in 2025/26.


You can already see a Power bench forming, and I would highlight that people watch the AB XV game vs Munster and watch Fabian Holland - he, in the next 24 months, will be WC and bring some huge physicality to the team.


Then, aligned with Peter Lakai, probably at 7, another WC talent, the AB pack by 2026 will probably both be starting and on the bench - be rated as No 1 or 2 packs in the world.


Then, there is the usual WC talent around the backline, and the missing link is Mo'unga. Unlike in last year's WC, the coming forward pack for the ABs, is similar to the Bok pack, It will be packed full of power, and the key to this is a realitively young pack.


So I think we will lose to Ireland and France in the coming weeks, but watch out as this pack builds into - I mean, look at the tight five and loose forwards that are coming for the ABs - De Groot, Lomax, Williams, Tosi, Taylor, Ofa T, Samson T, Aumua, Patrick T, Barrett, Vai, Fabian H, Setiti, Lakai, Savea, Frizzell (understand they are attempting to get him and Mo'unga back), Blackadder, Papalii and bar Barrett, Savea, Patrick T, Taylor - pretty young in international terms.


Huge front row starting and on bench, Power locks and usual class in loose forwards - only missing ingredient is a WC 10 and with Mo'unga back probably in 2026, these ABs are trending in a very healthy direction.

89 Go to comments
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