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World Rugby U20 Championship

What to watch in men's rugby: U20 Championship, Trophy races heat up

By Martyn Thomas

166 days ago

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 04: Alex Wills of England during the World Rugby U20 Championship 2024 match between England and Fiji at Athlone Stadium on July 04, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Grant Pitcher-Gallo Images/Getty Images)

It is another busy week of international action on RugbyPass TV as the World Rugby U20 Championship and World Rugby U20 Trophy continue and Canada host Romania in Ottawa.

The race to win the U20 Championship will wind its way towards the finishing straight this week as the final round of pool matches are played before the knockout stages get underway.

Nine teams remain in the hunt for the title ahead of day three, while five teams can still secure promotion to next year’s tournament from the U20 Trophy.

Scotland face a winner-takes-all clash against Japan in Pool A in Edinburgh, while USA will book their place in the Trophy final if they avoid defeat against Kenya.

Elsewhere, Canada will hope to bounce back from a heavy defeat to Scotland when they take on Romania in Ottawa.

You can watch all of the action live and for free on RugbyPass TV.

U20 Championship finishing straight in sight

On Tuesday, the U20 Championship pool stage will draw to a close with something on the line in all six matches in Cape Town and Stellenbosch.

Nine of the 12 teams competing in South Africa will arrive at Athlone Stadium or Danie Craven Stadium with a shot at ending day three in the semi-finals.

The opening match in Cape Town pits Ireland against Australia, with the Irish knowing they will top Pool B and qualify for the semi-finals if they avoid defeat.

If Australia win, though, and the teams finish level on points it will be the Junior Wallabies who top the pool having beaten Ireland.

The other match in Pool B on Tuesday will see Georgia take on Italy, who earned a memorable victory against Australia in the second round.

Despite that standout result, the Azzurrini cannot leapfrog Ireland as they lost 55-15 to them on day one and they are unlikely to force their way into the semi-finals as a best runner-up as they haven’t yet picked up a bonus point.

In the opening match of the day at Danie Craven Stadium, Argentina take on Fiji needing a bonus-point victory to have any hope of reaching the semi-finals.

Their Pool C rivals, hosts South Africa and England, meet in the third match at Athlone Stadium with the latter requiring only a point to make sure of top spot and their place in the last four.

In Pool A, meanwhile, New Zealand top the standings with a three-point cushion over Wales and four-point lead over France, ahead of their final pool-stage commitment against Spain.

Three-time defending champions France need to beat Wales with a bonus-point to have any chance of leapfrogging them and New Zealand.

A Welsh victory would leave them with a good chance of qualifying for the semi-finals as the best second-placed side if New Zealand then beat Spain as expected.

Following the third and final round of pool matches, the Cup and placing semi-finals will be played on Sunday and you can watch all the action live and for free with RugbyPass TV (except in Africa, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Tonga).

Tuesday, July 9th

Pool A

15:30 BST (GMT+1) – France v Wales, Athlone Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE
18:00 BST – New Zealand v Spain, Danie Craven Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

Pool B

13:00 BST – Ireland v Australia, Athlone Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE
15:30 BST – Georgia v Italy, Danie Craven Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

Pool C

13:00 BST – Argentina v Fiji, Danie Craven Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE
18:00 BST – South Africa v England, Athlone Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

Sunday, July 14th

13:00 BST – Placing semi-finals, Danie Craven Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE
13:00 BST – Fifth-place semi-final and Cup semi-finals, DHL Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

U20 Trophy final places up for grabs

On Friday, the U20 Trophy pool stage will reach its conclusion with five teams still in contention for promotion to next year’s Championship.

The action will get underway at Hive Stadium when Samoa take on Hong Kong China at 11:45 local time (GMT+1) but neither team can qualify from Pool A having lost their opening matches.

USA will then play Kenya, with the Americans knowing that a draw would be enough to take them through to the final thanks to their 44-33 victory against Netherlands on day one.

The result of that match will have a bearing on the Dutch’s encounter with Uruguay in the penultimate match of day three.

Should USA beat Kenya, avoid defeat or pick up two bonus points, then the winner of the Los Teritos’ meeting with the Netherlands will not be able to scale the top of the pool.

Hosts Scotland will run out at Hive Stadium at the end of day three for a winner-takes-all match against Japan.

Both teams head into the match with two wins from two, meaning the winner will top Pool A and qualify for the 2024 U20 Trophy final. Should the match end in a draw then Scotland will finish above Japan on points difference.

You can watch all the action live and for free on RugbyPass TV globally, except for the final match of day three, which is geo-blocked in the UK and Japan.

Friday, July 12th

Pool A

11:45 BST (GMT+1) – Samoa v Hong Kong China, Hive Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE
19:45 BST – Scotland v Japan, Hive Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

Pool B

14:30 BST – Kenya v USA, Hive Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE
17:15 BST – Uruguay v Netherlands, Hive Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

Can Canada chop down Oaks?

Canada, wounded by a chastening defeat to Scotland in Ottawa last weekend, welcome Romania to TD Place Stadium on Friday (local time) as they continue their preparations for next month’s Pacific Nations Cup.

Lucas Rumball scored the opening try of the match against Scotland, but it was one-way traffic from that point on as Gregor Townsend’s side ran out comfortable 73-12 winners.

The result dropped Canada one place in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings, to 22nd but home fans will hope they fare better against the Oaks.

Romania start the match two places ahead of their hosts in the rankings, and Canada will climb above them if they win by more than 15 points.

The Oaks head into the match in form, though, having beaten USA 22-20 in Chicago last Friday.

Scrum-half Aline Conache kicked 14 of Romania’s points, while replacement Daniel Plai proved the match-winner as his 68th-minute penalty edged his side to victory.

Find out if Romania can make it two wins from two in North America or whether Canada can rebound from their Scottish disappointment live and for free on RugbyPass TV (except in Canada and Romania).

Saturday, July 13th

00:00 BST (GMT+1) – Canada v Romania, TD Place Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

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Comments on RugbyPass

GP 54 minutes ago

The top 50 prospects under 23 in New Zealand rugby

Really interesting article.Canterbury and Crusaders lock Jamie Hannah, who debuted for the Crusaders before Canterbury , he is going places. Fellow Canterbury lock, who has debuted for the Crusaders in Europe, is big and athletic. His father Graham played in the NPC winning Canterbury side of 1997. His Uncle is former AB Chris Jack. Makos and Crusader no 8 Fletcher Anderson is developing fast with more experience. First-five James White did play well for Canterbury in the loss to Wellington. No harm in first-fives who can play fullback.

36 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Yep NZ national u85 team is touring there atm I think (or just has).

144 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Warren Gatland finds out his fate as Wales undergo huge changes

What are they gonna do with the 500k and what does that achieve? They could dump the whole side and pick amateurs and save 10million, but what is that going to achieve?

The problem it feels like to me is I didn't hear what Gatland is going to do in order to win the 6N next year. How is he helping the problem. It just sounds like they're expecting miracles and for Gatland to turn around the national teams results, but what good is that when you're not fixing any of the problems and you'll just be back where you were when Gatland and the old players leave?

I think you are totally wrong in your stance. Wales abosolutely need to spend that 500k by investing in their future, it just doesn't sound like theyre giving Gatland any more resources to do it with. They're not using that 500k very well.

11 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

James O'Connor on Crusaders preseason: 'I haven't experienced anything like it'

They would improve a lot of such a scheme were allowed though JD, win win :p

18 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

James O'Connor on Crusaders preseason: 'I haven't experienced anything like it'

Yeah I actually think it was Havili that took it off him. Not bad himself, but on the advice of Razor, who didn't even pursue it and use Havili on a split bench as 10 cover?

One huge cluster#$@% but I think you could be right, I liked O'Connor when he won at the Reds and I've just got a funny feeling he's going to dominate Super Rugby, kinda like how Cooper came back to the Wallabies as an experienced head and spat out South Africa. I think James could do the same with the Blues and other Aus sides. I'd really love Rivez to get a lot of minutes though.

18 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I rated Lowe well enough to be an AB. Remember we were picking the likes of George Bridge above such players so theres no disputing a lot of bad decisions have been made by those last two coaches. Does a team like the ABs need a finicky winger who you have to adapt and change a lot of your style with to get benefit from? No, not really. But he still would have been a basic improvement on players like even Savea at the tail of his career, Bridge, and could even have converted into the answer of replacing Beauden at the back. Instead we persisted with NMS, Naholo, Havili, Reece, all players we would have cared even less about losing and all because Rieko had Lowe's number 11 jersey nailed down.

He was of course only 23 when he decided to leave, it was back in the beggining of the period they had started retaining players (from 2018 onwards I think, they came out saying theyre going to be more aggressive at some point). So he might, all of them, only just missed out.

The main point that Ed made is that situations like Lowe's, Aki's, JGP's, aren't going to happen in future. That's a bit of a "NZ" only problem, because those players need to reach such a high standard to be chosen by the All Blacks, were as a country like Ireland wants them a lot earlier like that. This is basically the 'ready in 3 years' concept Ireland relied on, versus the '5 years and they've left' concept' were that player is now ready to be chosen by the All Blacks (given a contract to play Super, ala SBW, and hopefully Manu).

The 'mercenary' thing that will take longer to expire, and which I was referring to, is the grandparents rule. The new kids coming through now aren't going to have as many gp born overseas, so the amount of players that can leave with a prospect of International rugby offer are going to drop dramatically at some point. All these kiwi fellas playing for a PI, is going to stop sadly.

The new era problem that will replace those old concerns is now French and Japanese clubs (doing the same as NRL teams have done for decades by) picking kids out of school. The problem here is not so much a national identity one, than it is a farm system where 9 in 10 players are left with nothing. A stunted education and no support in a foreign country (well they'll get kicked out of those countries were they don't in Australia).

It's the same sort of situation were NZ would be the big guy, but there weren't many downsides with it. The only one I can think was brought up but a poster on this site, I can't recall who it was, but he seemed to know a lot of kids coming from the Islands weren't really given the capability to fly back home during school xms holidays etc. That is probably something that should be fixed by the union. Otherwise getting someone like Fakatava over here for his last year of school definitely results in NZ being able to pick the cherries off the top but it also allows that player to develop and be able to represent Tonga and under age and possibly even later in his career. Where as a kid being taken from NZ is arguably going to be worse off in every respect other than perhaps money. Not going to develop as a person, not going to develop as a player as much, so I have a lotof sympathy for NZs case that I don't include them in that group but I certainly see where you're coming from and it encourages other countries to think they can do the same while not realising they're making a much worse experience/situation.

144 Go to comments

Barry 2 hours ago

Loose Leinster scrape by Connacht to extend winning run

Could well be their year. Still winning games while playing utterly puke rugby.

1 Go to comments

JWH 3 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

NZ regularly plays games against Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa, and almost all of the players who play for NZ are born here. Its a bit like an English born Scot, or an Italian born Frenchman.

WR does NOT schedule matches for the big unions. It is a big union problem, not a problem for WR to fix for once.

144 Go to comments

JWH 3 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Yes, I don't really rate Lowe and don't see him as a big loss. But PI players are more often leaving their home nation to play for a richer union like France or England or NZ, which is frankly just wrong.

144 Go to comments

JWH 3 hours ago

'Springbok Galacticos can't go it alone for trophy-hunting Sharks'

Why don't you tell me?

NZ regularly plays games against PI nations, Japan, and USA, expanding their unions and markets. What has SA done for the game, aside from winning RWCs and playing some really good rugby?

Nothing.

10 Go to comments

JW 4 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Theyre just reference links to were they got the numbers from. Just couldn't be arsed removing them, theyre irrelevant.

Remember they'll be for all forms of rugby, and 'competition's as well as proper club leagues, for some of the more unique countries in the list. But yes, its fairly interesting what countries are getting upto with the game, Sri Lanka are just off that list. Have you watched Rugged Rugby on Netflix?

I really should check those references on Wales numbers. I had heard it was super popular down through the community, a bit like France in the south, but I'm still surprised by them. NZs mens numbers rose by 5% this year. Google list of rugby union playing countries.

144 Go to comments

JW 4 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That 500 number is abroad. These idea's would be far more interesting imo.

144 Go to comments

JW 4 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Fully agree. I'm happy to boost rugby's popularity in these countries for the mean time though. Well I'm happy for it to go on until it naturally stops tbh.

But yes, you wouldn't want it to come to the detriment of other countries, thankfully that's not happening imo.

144 Go to comments

JW 4 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Why wouldn't they? Just throw the towel in?

They certainly aren't going to go to Scotland if theres no jobs.

144 Go to comments

JW 4 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Bit of a rosy outlook that. Lets hope so at least!

144 Go to comments

JW 4 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Still not as much as someone like Mitchell, so there's certainly room for more. But credit to him for his desire, he'd not played in consecutive CCs for the most part, but it doesn't look like he'd willingly missed a league game. What you appear to be giving credit to Toulouse for, as actually Lucu's willingness to play the full 80 mins in a third of his games. That's just very different of UBB, not Toulouse, surely?

They other thing I noted is that he appeared to have a bench backup on those equations. UBB never tried to create a player who can act as his cover and go with a bigger forward split on the bench? Would seem like the perfect opportunity.

144 Go to comments

GP 4 hours ago

Ex-Wallaby explains why All Blacks aren’t at ‘panic stations’ under Razor

I am looking forward to next year with some of the dead wood gone. Will Jordan getting a full season at fullback will help. From a Crusaders perspective his return and that of Braydon Ennor is going to be huge. They are class acts. A lot of people are going to be eating there words re the Crusaders are going to bounce back.

1 Go to comments

Jmann 4 hours ago

How the Black Ferns Sevens reacted to Michaela Blyde's code switch

Make some money, improve defence, play a massively less-complicated game for a year. Win yet another world cup... come back and dominate 7s for a few a season and maybe jump into the women's XVs and win back-to-back world cups in code. Go girl!

3 Go to comments

JW 5 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

The ones he listed or the African ones? I think problem for people like yourself is you just don't hear about all that is done, and I'd say it's much the same with us here not hearing anything about what SA is doing for Africa.

There's definitely a case for countries to get together for their own benefit as it's such a young sport everything is evolving and theres plenty of knowledge out their (from sports like football) to help that along. SANZAAR is the perfect example.

144 Go to comments

GP 5 hours ago

James O'Connor on Crusaders preseason: 'I haven't experienced anything like it'

You are right about Rivez Reihana, he had a long spell when he was out injured. When he came back, in the win over the Rebels and other games and played well. I rate him and glad he is back with the Crusaders. Taha Kemara I think will really step up, in fact he did not play much last year. Hohepa was the one who played. That was due to people's memories are selective or not that good.James O'Connor is out to prove a point and is focused. The injury situation last year was horrendous. I think the Crusaders will bounce back with a vengeance in 2025. Remember 2001 what happened , 2002 was a different story.

18 Go to comments

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'Springbok Galacticos can't go it alone for trophy-hunting Sharks'

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Return of 30-something brigade provides welcome tonic for Wales

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