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World Rugby U20 Championship semi-final pairings confirmed
By Liam Heagney
Defending champions France will play New Zealand next Sunday in the semi-finals of the World Rugby U20 Championship just 10 days after they dramatically lost a pool match to the Baby Blacks with the last kick. Meanwhile, England will take on Ireland in the other semi-final following the outcome of match day three at the tournament in South Africa.
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The French, who are looking to win their fourth World Championship in succession, knew that a bonus-point win over Wales would be enough to qualify them for the last-four as the sole best runner-up from the three tournament pools. They duly delivered in the 4:30pm Athlone kick-off, defeating Wales 29-11 in a Pool A match where they had the four-try bonus point in the bag with a 44th-minute score from No8 Mathis Castro-Ferreira.
That left them waiting on the outcome of the 7pm kick-offs to learn who they would play in the semi-finals and it turned out to be their pool rivals New Zealand, who last week beat them 27-26 with an 80th-minute Rico Simpson penalty kick in Stellenbosch.
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The Kiwis had the four-try bonus point registered as early as the 20th-minute against Spain. The match was abandoned at half-time due to the weather with the score at 45-13, leaving New Zealand to secure the Pool A top spot and also earn the No1 semi-final seeding as England’s late, late win over the Junior Boks came without a four-try bonus.
England’s match in Athlone was set to end in a draw, which would still have been enough for them to finish as Pool C winners, but they showed incredible patience to score an 86th-minute try through sub James Isaacs to grab the 17-12 win that left them seeded second for the semi-finals.
They will now take on third seed Ireland, who were confirmed as Pool B winners without having to kick a ball. Their scheduled 2pm match versus top-spot rivals Australia was cancelled due to the pitch being declared unplayable at that time following a terrible morning of winter weather in the Cape Town region.
With the game off, both teams were awarded two match points each and that left Ireland on top of the pool with 11 points and the Australians finishing second with eight. Tuesday’s other Pool B result was Georgia 28 Italy 17, while the remaining game in Pool C ended Argentina 52 Fiji 12.
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World Rugby U20 Championship match day four schedule – Sunday, June 14
Championship semi-finals: New Zealand (1) vs France (4) – Cape Town Stadium, 7pm; England (2) vs Ireland (3) – Cape Town Stadium, 4:30pm;
Fifth to eighth place semi-finals: Argentina (5) vs South Africa (8) – Cape Town Stadium, 2pm; Australia (6) vs Wales (7) – Stellenbosch, 7pm;
Ninth to 12th place semi-finals: Georgia (9) vs Fiji (12) – Stellenbosch, 4:30pm; Italy (10) vs Spain (11) – Stellenbosch, 2pm.
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With only 4 to qualify the U20 pools can throw up a very hazardous 2nd pool match for qualification contenders. Say a contender (won first pool match) plays a decent team who lost the first pool match. The team who lost are in a do or die situation. They MUST win, against a superior opponent. Its EVERYTHING INTO THE FIRE. Now look at the contender, their attitude is to MANAGE a win.
What is the result of this mismatch in attitude?
Argentina beat SA, Italy beat Australia and Ireland survived with last gasp injury time score against Georgia.
Lessons for managers but interesting to observe how important the attitude that’s occupying the team ‘hive mind' can be to a result.
Gee. Meeting France again? Some reward for finishing top?
That’s the way it goes. Only 4 qualify. Best route was Ireland in semi. I am Irish and believe we are very much in with a shout. But Ireland semi and let France-England tear strips in the other semi was better draw for NZ.
England-SA was a tough, wet, great match. England’s determination to win was exceptional. Irish supporter but England are a real real team. Reminiscent of the adaptive rolling decision making of the great 2003 senior team. Ireland drew with them away in the 6N but England have improved.
The only caveat is that England may have more of a fatigue issue as Ireland/Australia match was called off.
In the other semi I think NZ might not have wanted to see France again so soon after their narrow win. Should be a great match but they will have France’s full attention and best perfromance this time.
England-France final and anyone’s guess then.
The baby blacks v Spain match was abandoned at half time due to the weather
Any reason rugby pass TV isn't playing the full under 20s game at least until half time All Blacks v Spain??
They played it. They played all rugby that went ahead. The page has links to both matches that are shown concurrently. They even allow you to watch both on same screen.
Well done to the entire set up for clawing back some credibility at this level. We've not given due respect in the recent past and lost our mana internationally because of it. They appeared to have learnt their lesson and are back at the top echelon of this age group.
Let's go Black.
Far far better indeed and it’s mainly upfront as we have always had the backs