Baby Blacks clinch best U20 Championship finish since 2017 title win

New Zealand sealed their best finish at the World Rugby U20 Championship since their 2017 title win, clinching third place in the 2024 edition in South Africa with a five-try, 38-28 win over Ireland in the rankings play-off final in Cape Town.

Both teams were soundly beaten in the semi-finals, New Zealand swatted aside 55-31 by French flair while Ireland were depowered 31-20 by a physical England who especially bullied their scrum. The Irish started much the better and were good value for their 11th-minute lead courtesy of pick-and-jam pressure on the line that ended with scrum-half Oliver Coffey nipping over.

Jack Murphy easily converted from in front of the posts and their early optimism was added to by New Zealand’s restart not travelling the requisite 10 metres and then at a later scrum in the 22 where they were given a penalty by referee Saba Abulashvili.

Tighthead Alex Mullan was proving a big addition to their front row while he also diligently got through a heap of tackles. He wasn’t the only one enjoying good moments; Hugo McLaughlin’s intercept and clearance kick when New Zealand finally visited the opposition 22 again was another confidence booster that was followed by a free at the scrum for not driving straight.

The hunch was that the Kiwis would eventually pay for this stream of errors and they did. They initially ran a decent shape off halfway lineout possession but Hugh Gavin did tremendously well in ripping Cooper Grant of possession and booting into the 22.

The kick that was returned was lapped up by Ben O'Connor in his own half and off he sped, ghosting between Tom Allen and King Maxwell and giving a pass outside to Murphy who made the corner for the 33rd-minute try he converted from the touchline.

Twelve points was a decent advantage, but that comfort was short-lived. Bryn Ward was carded with his team suddenly under the pump on their line and from the tapped penalty, New Zealand skipper Vernon Bason was awarded the 38th minute converted try following a lengthy TMO review.

The return of the teams for the second half was met by a deluge that sent people in the stands scattering for cover and the on-field numerical advantage that New Zealand had was quickly squandered by Frank Vaenuku’s needless clear-out on Stephen Smyth, who exited injured.

This card, though, didn’t wound the Kiwis in the slightest as they decisively ‘won’ the short 14-vs-14 period 12-0 to jump 17-12 in front. Fleet-footed midfielder Aki Tuivailala was the switch flicker, making a thunderous surge through the middle to set up Xavi Taele for the first try and then popping a pass to unleash the sprinting Bason from 30 metres out for the second.

“Let’s go” was the noisy cheer from the unused New Zealand squad players who had hunkered down for cover in the seats at the back of the lower bowl, and they was more high-pitch cheering to follow with the rain having now stopped.

Tighthead Joshua Smith had his finish chalked off for a knock-on in the lead-up but there was no doubt about Jeremiah Avei-Collins’ effort on 56 minutes, the battering ram sub back-rower beating four defenders to score the try that Rico Simpson converted for 24-12.

As happened in last Sunday’s second half, Ireland had no answer on how to stem the opposition's momentum and they were soon finished off by a Vaenuku brace. The first on 67 minutes was beautiful, the winger collecting a peach of a crosskick from Taele, and the second owed much to an unfortunate Irish deflection backwards from O’Connor five minutes later to push the margin out to 38-12.

Ireland did at least finish with some consolation scores, something they didn’t manage against the English who held them scoreless in the semi-final second half. Ethan Graham first got in at the corner and Sean Naughton then rounded off another sharply finished move.

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