34 - 29

What to watch in men’s rugby: U20 Trophy kicks off as Championship continues

331 days ago

SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA - MAY 12: Jurenzo Julius of South Africa scores a try during The Rugby Championship U20 Round 3 match between Argentina and South Africa at Sunshine Coast Stadium on May 12, 2024 in Sunshine Coast, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

We stand at the start of another huge week of international age-grade rugby, and you can watch it all live and for free on RugbyPass TV.

Having watched the World Rugby U20 Championship 2024 get underway in style in Cape Town last weekend, now is the time for the players in the second tier to shine.

The World Rugby U20 Trophy 2024 kicks off at Edinburgh’s Hive Stadium on Tuesday, with hosts Scotland one of eight teams targeting promotion to the U20 Championship over the next fortnight.

On Thursday, meanwhile, the U20 Championship continues in Cape Town and Stellenbosch as the competing nations jostle for a place in the semi-finals.

The second round of the U20 Trophy pool stage then follows on Sunday.

U20 Trophy set for kick-off

Eight teams have gathered on the U20 Trophy start line in Edinburgh with their eyes set firmly on promotion to next year’s U20 Championship.

Hive Stadium will host 16 matches over the next two weeks as those eight nations are whittled down to one winner, and you can watch all the action with RugbyPass TV.

Scotland will hope home comforts can help them take the step back to the top tier of men’s age-grade international rugby at the second time of asking.

Last year’s tournament in Nairobi was their first campaign at this level, having been relegated from the U20 Championship in 2019. Uruguay put paid to their hopes of an instant return, running out 37-26 victors in the teams’ final pool-stage match 12 months ago.

Scotland overcame Samoa 83-10 to win the third-place play-off, and they will begin their quest for promotion against the same opposition in Pool A on Tuesday (kick-off 14:30 BST).

Kenneth Murray’s team, who finished bottom of the 2024 U20 Six Nations standings, then face Hong Kong China next Sunday (kick-off 14:30 BST) and finish their pool-stage campaign against Japan five days later (kick-off 19:45 BST).

Japan lost all five matches during the 2023 U20 Championship, losing their place at the top table with a 45-27 defeat to Italy.

In Pool B, Scotland’s 2023 conquerors Uruguay get their campaign underway against Kenya in the second match of day one (kick-off 14:30 BST).

Los Teritos had their promotion hopes extinguished by a late Diego Gonzalez Blanco try 12 months ago as Spain ran out 39-32 winners in the final.

Second-place was Uruguay’s best finish since they won the inaugural tournament in Chile in 2008 and they will hope this is the year they end their long wait for a return to the U20 Championship.

Uruguay face USA on Sunday (kick-off 11:45 BST) before completing their pool-stage commitments with a match against tournament debutants the Netherlands a week on Friday (kick-off 17:15 BST).

The Dutch earned their place in Edinburgh by winning the 2023 Rugby Europe U20 Championship and will kick-off their maiden campaign against USA on day one (kick-off 19:45 BST).

The Americans won the U20 Trophy on home soil in 2012 but have only appeared in three of the past seven tournaments and finished a disappointing seventh 12 months ago.

You can find out how they get on in Edinburgh with RugbyPass TV. The U20 Trophy is available to stream live and for free around the world, except in the UK.

Tuesday, July 2nd

11:45 BST (GMT+1) – WATCH DAY ONE LIVE HERE

Sunday, July 7th

11:45 BST – WATCH DAY TWO LIVE HERE

Race for U20 Championship semi-finals heats up

Following a thrilling opening day last Saturday, the U20 Championship continues in Cape Town and Stellenbosch on Thursday.

Defending champions France got their Pool A campaign off to a winning start against debutants Spain and they face a blockbuster encounter with New Zealand on day two.

Barnabe Massa and Geoffrey Malaterre each helped themselves to a brace of tries at DHL Stadium as Les Bleuets ran out 49-12 winners.

New Zealand overcame a spirited Wales performance, with Xavi Taele scoring two of their six tries to help secure a 41-34 win at Athlone Stadium.

However, the U20 Rugby Championship winners have not beaten France since 2017, the last time they claimed the overall title, and lost the teams’ two most recent meetings at this level, in 2018 and 2023.

Only the three pool winners are guaranteed their place in the semi-finals, meaning victory is imperative in Stellenbosch.

Wales will hope to rebound from defeat to New Zealand when they take on Spain in the opening match of day two at Athlone Stadium.

In Pool B, Ireland and Australia put their winning starts to the tournament on the line when they take on Georgia and Italy respectively on Thursday.

Last year’s runners-up Ireland were in imperious form at DHL Stadium last Saturday, Sam Berman helping himself to a hat-trick as Willie Faloon’s side notched eight tries in a 55-15 defeat of Italy.

Australia had a tougher time against the Junior Lelos and trailed between the 16th and 56th minute before five tries in the final 24 minutes gave them a 35-11 victory.

Jack Bracken was the hat-trick hero for three-time champions England in their 40-21 defeat of Argentina on Saturday, and the winger will hope to his tally when they take on Fiji on Thursday.

Fiji lost their opening Pool C match 57-7 to South Africa at DHL Stadium as Jurenzo Julius scored two of the Junior Springboks’ eight tries.

The hosts will hope for more of the same when they take on Los Pumitas in Stellenbosch on Thursday.

South Africa have not lost to Argentina at this level since the 2016 U20 Championship and edged to a 30-28 victory when the teams met in the U20 Rugby Championship in Australia in May. Julius also crossed the whitewash for the Junior Springboks that day.

You can watch all the action from the U20 Championship live and for free via RugbyPass TV, except in Africa, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.

Thursday, June 4th

Pool A

13:00 BST (GMT+1) – Wales v Spain, Athlone Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE
15:30 BST – France v New Zealand, Danie Craven Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

Pool B

13:00 BST – Ireland v Georgia, Danie Craven Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE
18:00 BST – Australia v Italy, Athlone Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

Pool C

15:30 BST – England v Fiji, Athlone Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE
18:00 BST – South Africa v Argentina, Danie Craven Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

Comments

1 Comment

Nicholas 328 days ago

I have just signed up! I hope I can watch the World Cup rugby U20’s

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Latest Features

LONG READ

'The stakes are high, with a bad decision or two likely to have painful consequences.'

The future of professional rugby in Wales in on a knife-edge with West Walian regions and the WRU still at loggerheads over how to proceed

LONG READ

'Owen Farrell's season may have been a disaster but it has not diminished interest around him'

Having been across the Channel for almost a year, the one-time England talisman still commands major prestige.

LONG READ

Mick Cleary: 'There will be a battle royale for all the shirts over the coming weeks'

The back-row balance will be key to the Lions overpowering and outwitting the Wallabies and the scrap for a starting shirt will be white hot

Comments on RugbyPass

Cantab 16 days ago

Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut

Although NZ won comfortably enough they weren’t always convincing and a better opposition may well have found them out. If our gun 7s players can translate their skills to the 15s game the team would have the ability to beat anyone. Need to be given the chance though.

4 Go to comments

James 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

And how do you see the Wallabies loosehead / Lion’s tighthead battle Nick?

37 Go to comments

dw 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Also interested in your thoughts on A Bell. Haven't noticed many scrum issues recently. He also seems to play 60 or so mins every game. A bit of a fan (even though he’s a tah..) but wondered if the Lions would target his scrummaging

37 Go to comments

dw 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

True. And you look at how the European coaches have got so much out of skelton and how much the local fans love him…and then some Oz fans will still say “he played poorly for the tahs I'm 2015!”

37 Go to comments

dw 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Thanks Nick but your headline has just jinxed us and reminded me of that night in 2013!

I love any analysis of the scrums such as the above. Cheers.

Allalatoa seems to be in good form and Nongorr appears to be able to hold his own? I think they will pick Tupou regardless of form. After Friday night I am concerned he could be sent off in the first five mins of the test though! He got too pumped up and hit a player high and was carded

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 16 days ago

'Most complacent selection decision you will ever see': Barrett benching slammed as Leinster knocked out

I watched the mainstream NZ pundits eg Mils Muliaina and they DID back NZ to win almost to a man.

Ireland will talk their team up as anyone would with the caveats we are playing the ABs and match was de facto 50:50, That is not the same as dismissing the opposition. EG After the quarter John Kirwan said he was sorry France didn’t win versus SA becuase a ‘France-NZ final would be perfect. (The semis had not even been played yet, England and Argentina completely dismissed! He didn’t even realize his own arrogance) NZ are not even aware of the arrogance they exude. Has no Kiwi politely asked the national team to take down the ‘Superstars and Humble Heroes’ boasting on the AB site? Its cringeworthy stuff. Do NZ really see themselves like this?

Note all this BS about Irish arrogance started just after NZs defeat in the 2022 series. Not a coincidence.

Also: this is Irish national TV. We will talk our team up as everyone does. We care too much about judgemental and thin skinned Kiwis getting offended.

91 Go to comments

JM 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Aussie rugby fans are obsessed with players they hate, for whatever reason.

Michael Hooper is another one, and the hatred only increased whenever he won John Eales medals or the two times he was nominated world player of the year.

I reckon it is because our forwards are technically and mentally weak they put it all on one player who they think should make way for the messiah.

Same for the general team performance and the hate put on players like White, Lolesio, and Foley who should be pulling rabbits out of the hat every play.

I reckon, if we had of had 5 players with Hooper’s desire and drive spread across the team (and especiallythe forwards), we wouldn’t have woken up in the bottom of the ditch.

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 16 days ago

'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

He shouldn’t have been picked. Not physically able for the most intense matches notably in Twickenham last year. Giving him the captaincy was also a very short sighted decision then after RWC 2023. Ireland have a tendency to be a little too loyal, which can mean the team ages and the rebuild is bigger than should be.

Plenty of lads out there to fill that squad.

4 Go to comments

OJohn 16 days ago

Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments

Carlos 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

37 Go to comments

Carlos 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

37 Go to comments

Solenn Bonnet 16 days ago

Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.

Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

37 Go to comments

BC 16 days ago

Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments

Otagoman II 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

37 Go to comments

NB 16 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍