World Rugby U20 Championship match day four semi-final guide

It's semi-finals Sunday at the World Rugby U20 Championship and following last Tuesday’s weather-affected schedule, the hope will be that all six matches will be played to an 80-minute conclusion unlike on match day three when there were just four and a half matches completed due to the heavy rain making pitches unplayable.

With Australia unsuccessful in their appeal following the cancellation of their Pool B decider versus Ireland in Athlone, the Championship semi-final pairings remain as they originally were.

The top-ranked New Zealand are taking on France, their pool rivals and best runner-up across the three groups, while England clash with their Six Nations rivals Ireland.  

The other match on the Cape Town Stadium schedule is the fifth-to-eighth place play-off featuring Argentina and host nation South Africa, with this other rankings semi-final between Australia and Wales taking place in Stellenbosch.

Also on the card at the Danie Craven are the ninth-to-12th semi-finals featuring Georgia-Fiji and Italy-Spain.

All six games can be streamed live and for free on RugbyPass TV in all countries that don’t have an exclusive local host broadcaster deal. Click here to sign up for Sunday’s coverage. In the meantime, RugbyPass sifts through the team announcements and predicts the likely results:

New Zealand (seeded 1) vs France (4) – Championship semi-final at Cape Town Stadium, 7pm local (Ref: Sam Grove-White, SRU)

Ten changes for New Zealand following their abandoned-at-half-time game with Spain last Tuesday. Just three of the pack that began that cut-short exercise have been retained, tighthead Joshua Smith, lock Tom Allen and back-rower Mosese Bason. Out the back, Xavi Taele and Xavier Tito-Harris are the repeat picks.

France have changed four following their 29-11 win over Wales, altering their hooker, tighthead, openside and scrum-half for a rematch with the Baby Blacks just 10 days after a classic unfolded in the second half of their Pool A clash at Stellenbosch.

Having slumbered through the opening half and ending up scoreless at the break, New Zealand roared back in the second period and they clinched the 27-26 win with an 80th minute Rico Simpson penalty. The expectation is for even greater drama in this appetising renewal.

The French started ringing the changes last Tuesday as soon as they had bagged the 44th-minute four-try bonus point versus the Welsh in the hope of resting up players, but it’s New Zealand who will be more rested having played just half a match against Spain with a much-changed team.

They are tipped to narrowly advance to a first final since 2017, but only after another classic shootout unfolds in which the lead changes hands on several occasions.

NEW ZEALAND: 1. Will Martin, 2. Vernon Bason (capt), 3. Joshua Smith, 4. Tom Allen, 5. Liam Jack, 6. Andrew Smith, 7. Jonathan Lee, 8. Mosese Bason; 9. Dylan Pledger, 10. Rico Simpson; 11. Stanley Solomon, 12. Xavi Taele, 13. Aki Tuivailala, 14. Xavier Tito-Harris; 15. Sam Coles. Reps: 16. Manumaua Letiu, 17. Sika Uamaki, 18. Gus Brown, 19. Cameron Christie, 20. Matt Lowe, 21. Riley Williams, 22. Isaac Hutchinson, 23. King Maxwell.

FRANCE: 1. Samuel Jean-Christophe, 2. Barnabe Massa, 3. Lino Julien, 4. Charly Gambini, 5. Corentin Mezou, 6. Joe Quere Karaba, 7. Geoffrey Malaterre, 8. Mathis Castro Ferreira; 9. Leo Carbonneau, 10. Hugo Reus; 11. Hoani Bosmorin, 12. Robin Taccola, 13. Fabien Brau-Boirie, 14. Maxence Biasotto; 15. Mathis Ferte. Reps: 16. Thomas Lacombre, 17. Lorencio Boyer-Gallardo, 18. Thomas Marceline, 19. Charles Kante Samba, 20. Brent Liufau, 21. Sialevailea Tolofua, 22. Xan Mousques, 23. Axel Desperes-Rigou.

England (2) vs Ireland (3) – Championship semi-final at Cape Town Stadium, 4:30pm (Ref: Morne Ferreira, SARU)

These countries had contrasting routes to the semi-finals. England had to go all-out in their 7pm kick-off last Tuesday and hadn’t South Africa beaten until an 86th-minute try whereas the Irish had their 2pm kick-off at the same Athlone ground cancelled as there was too much standing water on the pitch at the time.

England have now made two changes with Afolabi Fasogbon and Ioan Jones, two of the subs from the 17-12 win over the Junior Boks, stepping up with tighthead Billy Sela and right winger Jack Bracken absent.

The curiosity is the Irish have made more changes than England to their XV even though they didn’t have to play. Scrummaging has been a concern for them all year and they have benched Emmet Calvey and Patreece Bell, the pair who were due to start against Australia.  

Ben Howard, who wasn’t in the match day 23, is named at loosehead with Jacob Boyd promoted from the subs to start at tighthead in a pack where the third change is Sean Edogbo for the benched Billy Corrigan, a switch that sees James McKillop move from blindside to second row.

The Irish were left disappointed that a match day two injury has ruled their skipper, lock Evan O’Connell, out for the remainder of the tournament, but there is selection consistency in the backline as all seven named for last Tuesday's non-event are retained.

Willie Faloon’s side won’t be afraid of England – the way they defiantly secured a 32-all draw at Bath 18 weeks ago in the Six Nations on Richie Murphy’s watch is sharp evidence of that, as was last year’s 34-all pool draw at the Championship.  

This Irish style in recent years to problem-solve on the hoof and find a way to cope against physically bigger opposition is admirable, but the English have played the far better rugby at this Championship and will feel they are ready to make a first U20s final since 2018. We are inclined to agree.

ENGLAND: 1. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2. Craig Wright, 3. Afolabi Fasogbon, 4. Joe Bailey, 5. Junior K'poku, 6. Finn Carnduff (capt), 7. Henry Pollock, 8. Nathan Michelow; 9. Ollie Allan, 10. Benjamin Coen; 11. Alex Wills, 12. Sean Kerr, 13. Ben Waghorn, 14. Ben Redshaw; 15. Ioan Jones. Reps: 16. James Isaacs, 17. Cameron Miell, 18. James Halliwell, 19. Olamide Sodeke, 20. Kane James, 21. Lucas Friday, 22. Josh Bellamy, 23. Toby Cousins.

IRELAND: 1. Ben Howard, 2. Danny Sheahan, 3. Jacob Boyd, 4. Alan Spicer, 5. James McKillop, 6. Sean Edogbo, 7. Bryn Ward, 8. Brian Gleeson (capt); 9. Oliver Coffey, 10. Jack Murphy; 11. Hugo McLaughlin, 12. Hugh Gavin, 13. Wilhelm de Klerk, 14. Finn Treacy; 15. Ben O'Connor. Reps: 16. Stephen Smyth, 17. Emmet Calvey, 18. Patreece Bell, 19. Billy Corrigan, 20. Luke Murphy, 21. Tadhg Brophy, 22. Sean Naughton, 23. Sam Berman.

Argentina (5) vs South Africa (8) – Fifth-to-eighth place semi-final at Cape Town Stadium, 2pm (Ref: Reuben Keane, RA)

It’s eight changes for South Africa and nine for Argentina in this play-off between the teams who clashed in Pool C at Stellenbosch on July 4. That night was a rude awakening for the Junior Boks, as the South Americans schooled them in the finer arts of forward power in areas such as the lineout drive.

A chastening 31-12 result was the outcome and it would be no surprise to see a repeat materialise here. While the reason for the wholesale Argentina changes is they rested a pile of players for their expected win over Fiji, South Africa have freshened things up here as a consequence of losing to England in an exhausting arm-wrestle decided by an 86th-minute try.

Five of their changes are in the pack but the hunch is that a suspected lack of depth exists and they are ripe to get another turning over by the South Americans who are in the habit of enjoying fast starts. Expect to see another one here.    

ARGENTINA: 1. Diego Correa, 2. Juan Greising Revol, 3. Gael Galvan, 4. Efrain Elias (capt), 5. Alvaro Garcia Iandolino, 6. Juan Penoucos, 7. Santos Fernandez de Oliveira, 8. Juan Pedro Bernasconi; 9. Jeronimo Llorens, 10. Santino Di Lucca; 11. Gregorio Perez Pardo, 12. Felipe Ledesma, 13. Tomas Bocco, 14. Timoteo Silva; 15. Benjamin Elizalde. Reps: 16. Juan Manuel Vivas, 17. Joaquin Yakiche, 18. Marcos Camerlinck, 19. Felipe Bruno Schmidt, 20. Julian Rossi, 21. Agustin Sarelli, 22. Tomas di Biase, 23. Tomas Medina.

SOUTH AFRICA: 1. Ruan Swart, 2. Ethan Bester, 3. Zach Porthen (capt), 4. Thomas Dyer, 5. Jaco Grobbelaar, 6. Sibabalwe Mahashe, 7. JF van Heerden, 8. Tiaan Jacobs; 9. Asad Moos, 10. Tylor Sefoor; 11. Lili Bester, 12. Phillip-Albert van Niekerk, 13. Jurenzo Julius, 14. Joel Leotlela; 15. Michail Damon. Reps: 16. Juan Smal, 17. Liyema Ntshanga, 18. Casper Badenhorst, 19. Bathobele Hlekani, 20. Divan Fuller, 21. Hassiem Pead, 22. Bruce Sherwood, 23. Ezekiel Ngubane.

Australia (6) vs Wales (7) – Fifth-to-eighth place semi-final at Stellenbosch 7pm (Ref: Federico Vedovelli, FIR)

As above with England and Ireland, this is another pairing who had very contrasting match day three experiences. The Junior Wallabies were denied their shootout with Ireland to decide who topped Pool B, the waterlogged surface in Athlone cancelling that game. But Wales’ similar winner-takes-all meeting with France kicked off as scheduled two and a half hours later at the same ground.

Despite not getting to play, Australia have made one change to their XV with lock Harvey Cordukes back in the mix following his suspension for a match day one red card against Georgia. Wales, meanwhile, have altered six following the 11-29 loss to the French, including the selection of fresh half-back starters in Rhodri Lewis and Harri Wilde.

Richard Whiffin’s charges should be sticky enough opposition but the chances are that the Aussies will alleviate last Tuesday’s frustration with the win that would set them up for a potential repeat of the fifth-place finish secured in last year’s Championship.     

AUSTRALIA: 1. Lington Ieli, 2. Ottavio Tuipulotu, 3. Nick Bloomfield, 4. Toby Macpherson (capt), 5. Harvey Cordukes, 6. Aden Ekanayake, 7. Dane Sawers, 8. Jack Harley; 9. Dan Nelson, 10. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips; 11. Archer Saunders, 12. Jarrah McLeod, 13. Kadin Pritchard, 14. Ronan Leahy; 15. Shane Wilcox. Reps: 16. Bryn Edwards, 17. Nathaniel Tiitii, 18. Trevor King, 19. Eamon Doyle, 20. Ollie McCrea, 21. Austin Durbidge, 22. Billy Dickens, 23. Boston Fakafanua.

WALES: 1. Jordan Morris, 2. Isaac Young, 3. Sam Scott, 4. Jonny Green, 5. Nick Thomas, 6. Ryan Woodman (capt), 7. Harri Beddall, 8. Morgan Morse;  9. Rhodri Lewis, 10. Harri Wilde; 11. Aidan Boschoff, 12. Louie Hennessey, 13. Macs Page, 14. Kodi Stone; 15. Matty Young. Reps: 16. Harry Thomas, 17. Ioan Emanuel, 18. Kian Hire, 19. Gethyn Cannon, 20. Lucas De La Rua, 21. Lucca Setaro, 22. Harri Ford, 23. Steffan Emanuel.

Georgia (9) vs Fiji (12) – Ninth-to-12th place semi-final at Stellenbosch, 4:30pm (Ref: Adam Jones, WRU)

Just the two changes for the Georgians following their pool win over Italy, blindside Giorgi Gergedava and left winger Tarieli Burtikashvili being included for a play-off they are tipped to win and set-up a ninth-place final rematch with the Italians.

It’s been a slog of a campaign for Fiji, despite some glimpses of their traditional flair. Forty points was the margin of defeat last time out to Argentina, belying the expectation that they would improve from the 11-48 match day two loss to England.

They have made three changes for this latest outing, two in their pack with Malakai Masi and Ronald Sharma included. Midfielder Ponipate Tuberi is the other switch. 

GEORGIA: 1. Luka Ungiadze, 2. Mikheil Khakhubia, 3. Davit Mtchedlidze, 4. Davit Lagvilava, 5. Temur Tsulukidze, 6. Giorgi Gergedava, 7. Andro Dvali, 8. Nika Lomidze (capt); 9. Sandro Jigauri, 10. Luka Tsirekidze; 11. Tarieli Burtikashvili, 12. Giorgi Khaindrava, 13. Luka Kobauri, 14. Luka Keshelava, 15. Otari Metreveli. Reps: 16. Tamaz Tchamiashvili, 17. Luka Kotorashvili, 18. Davit Kuntelia, 19. Murtazi Tskhadadze, 20. Luka Suluashvili, 21. Mikheil Kachlavashvili, 22. Gela Kheladze, 23. Nugzari Kevkhishvili.

FIJI: 1. Mataiasi Tuisireli, 2. Moses Armstrong-Ravula, 3. Luke Nasau, 4. Nalani May (capt), 5. Malakai Masi, 6. Ebernezer Tuidraki, 7. Ronald Sharma, 8. Simon Koroiyadi; 9. Samuela Ledua, 10. Ratu Isikeli Rabitu; 11. Waisake Salabiau, 12. Ponipate Tuberi, 13. Harrison Valevatu, 14. Aisea Nawai; 15. Isikeli Basiyalo. Reps:  16. Iowane Vakadrigi, 17. Anare Caginavanua, 18. Breyton Legge, 19. Iliesa Erenavula, 20. Ratu Nemani Kurucake, 21. Pauliasi Korobiau, 22. Benjamin Naivalu, 23. Avakuki Niusalelekitoga.

Italy (10) vs Spain (11) – Ninth-to-12th place semi-final at Stellenbosch, 2pm (Ref: Neheun Jauri Rivero, UAR)

While Italy had to give it their all with their best XV versus Georgia in a match day three game they eventually lost, minnows Spain cut their losses and sent out a second string to face New Zealand and they got lucky as the potential concession of an avalanche of points was capped at 45 as the match was abandoned at half-time.

The Italians have made five changes for this play-off, but the Spanish bring back 10 of their front-liners – including numbers one to seven in a pack where only Valentino Rizzo featured against the Baby Blacks. What they have done is an understandable strategy as avoiding relegation was always their target in their debut Championship campaign.

Italy had their number, however, in a pre-tournament warm-up and should do so again as it would be a massive upset if the team that defeated Australia in pool play were beaten by the tournament rookies. 

ITALY: 1. Sergio Pelliccioli, 2. Valerio Siciliano, 3. Davide Ascari, 4. Samuele Mirenzi, 5. Piero Gritti, 6. Giacomo Milano, 7. Nelson Casartelli, 8. Jacopo Botturi (capt); 9. Lorenzo Casilio, 10. Simone Brisighella; 11. Francesco Imberti, 12. Nicola Bozzo, 13. Federico Zanandrea, 14. Marco Scalabrin, 15. Mirko Belloni. Reps: 16. Vittorio Padoan, 17. Francesco Gentile, 18. Federico Pisani, 19. Mattia Midena, 20. Cesare Zucconi, 21. Mattia Jimenez, 22. Martino Pucciariello, 23. Patrick de Villiers.

SPAIN: 1. Hugo Gonzalez, 2. Diego Gonzalez Blanco, 3. Aniol Franch, 4. Pablo Guirao, 5. Manex Ariceta Maestro (capt), 6. Nicolas Moleti, 7. Jokin Zolezzi, 8. Valentino Rizzo; 9. Javier Lopez De Haro, 10. Gonzalo Otamendi; 11. Hugo Pichardie, 12. Yago Fernandez Vilar, 13. Alberto Carmona, 14. Julien Burguillos, 15. Luciano Richardis. Reps: 16. David Gallego, 17. Alberto Gomez, 18. Guido Reyes Rendon, 20. Antonio Gamez, 21. Nicolas Gali, 22. Unax Zuriarrain, 23. Gabriel Rocaries, 25. Martin Serrano.

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