2023 Under 20 Championship Facts
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host nation | South Africa |
| Date | 24 June – 14 July 2023 |
| No. of nations | 12 |
Venues
| Stellenbosch | Paarl | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Danie Craven Stadium | Paarl Gimnasium | Boland Stadium |
| Capacity: 16,000 | — | Capacity: 11,000 |
Teams
| Team | No. | Result (2019) | Best Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 12 | 4th | Third place (2016) |
| Australia | 12 | 2nd | Runners-up (2010, 2019) |
| England | 12 | 5th | Champions (2013, 2014, 2016) |
| Fiji | 8 | 11th | Sixth place (2011) |
| France | 12 | 1st | Champions (2018, 2019) |
| Georgia | 4 | 10th | Ninth place (2018) |
| Ireland | 12 | 8th | Runners-up (2016) |
| Italy | 10 | 9th | Eighth place (2017, 2018) |
| Japan | 5 | — | Tenth place (2015) |
| New Zealand | 12 | 7th | Champions (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017) |
| South Africa | 12 | 3rd | Champions (2012) |
| Wales | 12 | 6th | Runners-up (2013) |
Match officials
Referees
Wales Ben Breakspear (Wales)
Ireland Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Scotland Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
South Africa Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
Australia Reuben Keane (Australia)
New Zealand Angus Mabey (New Zealand)
Japan Takehito Namekawa (Japan)
France Luc Ramos (France)
Argentina Damian Schneider (Argentina)
England Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
Television match officials
Scotland Ben Blain (Scotland)
Italy Matteo Liperini (Italy)
South Africa Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Pool stage
Pool A
France
Japan
New Zealand
Wales
Pool B
Australia
England
Fiji
Ireland
Pool C
Argentina
Georgia
Italy
South Africa
Pool A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | −/+ | TF | TA | BP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 153 | 45 | +108 | 22 | 7 | 3 | 15 |
| New Zealand | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 103 | 80 | +23 | 16 | 12 | 2 | 10 |
| Wales | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 86 | 89 | –3 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 7 |
| Japan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 50 | 178 | –128 | 8 | 27 | 0 | 0 |
Pool B
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | −/+ | TF | TA | BP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 111 | 71 | +40 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 13 |
| England | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 109 | 63 | +46 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 10 |
| Australia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 78 | 89 | –11 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 7 |
| Fiji | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 71 | 146 | –75 | 10 | 22 | 2 | 2 |
Pool C
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | −/+ | TF | TA | BP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 83 | 73 | +10 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 9 |
| Georgia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 73 | 50 | +23 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 9 |
| Argentina | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 59 | 59 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Italy | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 66 | 99 | –33 | 8 | 14 | 1 | 5 |
Pool stage standings
| Pos | Team | Pool | Pld | −/+ | Pts | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finals | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | France | A | 3 | +108 | 15 | |||||||||
| 2 | Ireland | B | 3 | +40 | 13 | |||||||||
| 3 | South Africa | C | 3 | +10 | 9 | |||||||||
| 4 | England | B | 3 | +46 | 10 | |||||||||
| 5–8th place play-offs | ||||||||||||||
| 5 | New Zealand | A | 3 | +23 | 10 | |||||||||
| 6 | Georgia | C | 3 | +23 | 9 | |||||||||
| 7 | Wales | A | 3 | −3 | 7 | |||||||||
| 8 | Australia | B | 3 | −11 | 7 | |||||||||
| 9–12th place play-offs | ||||||||||||||
| 9 | Argentina | C | 3 | 0 | 5 | |||||||||
| 10 | Italy | C | 3 | −33 | 5 | |||||||||
| 11 | Fiji | B | 3 | –75 | 2 | |||||||||
| 12 | Japan | A | 3 | −128 | 0 | |||||||||
Tournament Results
| Year | Host | Final | Third place match | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | 3rd place | Score | 4th place | ||||
| 2008 | Wales | New Zealand | 38–3 | England | South Africa | 43–18 | Wales | ||
| 2009 | Japan | New Zealand | 44–28 | England | South Africa | 32–5 | Australia | ||
| 2010 | Argentina | New Zealand | 62–17 | Australia | South Africa | 27–22 | England | ||
| 2011 | Italy | New Zealand | 33–22 | England | Australia | 30–17 | France | ||
| 2012 | South Africa | South Africa | 22–16 | New Zealand | Wales | 25–17 | Argentina | ||
| 2013 | France | England | 23–15 | Wales | South Africa | 41–34 | New Zealand | ||
| 2014 | New Zealand | England | 21–20 | South Africa | New Zealand | 45–23 | Ireland | ||
| 2015 | Italy | New Zealand | 21–16 | England | South Africa | 31–18 | France | ||
| 2016 | England | England | 45–21 | Ireland | Argentina | 49–19 | South Africa | ||
| 2017 | Georgia | New Zealand | 64–17 | England | South Africa | 37–15 | France | ||
| 2018 | France | France | 33–25 | England | South Africa | 40–30 | New Zealand | ||
| 2019 | Argentina | France | 24–23 | Australia | South Africa | 41–16 | Argentina | ||
| Tournament canceled 2020–2022. | |||||||||
| 2023 | South Africa | TBC | TBC | ||||||
| 2024 | South Africa | TBC | TBC | ||||||
Team records
| Team | Titles | Runners-up | Third | Fourth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 6 (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017) | 1 (2012) | 1 (2014) | 2 (2013, 2018) |
| England | 3 (2013, 2014, 2016) | 6 (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018) | – | 1 (2010) |
| France | 2 (2018, 2019) | – | – | 3 (2011, 2015, 2017) |
| South Africa | 1 (2012) | 1 (2014) | 8 (2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019) | 1 (2016) |
| Australia | – | 2 (2010, 2019) | 1 (2011) | 1 (2009) |
| Wales | – | 1 (2013) | 1 (2012) | 1 (2008) |
| Ireland | – | 1 (2016) | – | 1 (2014) |
| Argentina | – | – | 1 (2016) | 2 (2012, 2019) |
Participating nations
| Team | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 8th | 11th | 6th | 9th | 4th | 6th | 9th | 9th | 3rd | 11th | 6th | 4th | q | 13 |
| Australia | 5th | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 8th | 7th | 5th | 5th | 6th | 6th | 5th | 2nd | q | 13 |
| Canada | 12th | 14th | WT | WT | WT | WT | WT | WT | – | WT | WT | WT | – | 2 |
| England | 2nd | 2nd | 4th | 2nd | 7th | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 5th | q | 13 |
| Fiji | 14th | 12th | 8th | 6th | 11th | 11th | 12th | WT | WT | WT | WT | 11th | q | 8 |
| France | 6th | 5th | 5th | 4th | 6th | 5th | 6th | 4th | 9th | 4th | 1st | 1st | q | 13 |
| Georgia | WT | – | – | WT | WT | – | WT | WT | 10th | 10th | 9th | 10th | q | 5 |
| Ireland | 9th | 8th | 9th | 8th | 5th | 8th | 4th | 7th | 2nd | 9th | 11th | 8th | q | 13 |
| Italy | 11th | 13th | WT | 11th | 12th | WT | 11th | 11th | 11th | 8th | 8th | 9th | q | 11 |
| Japan | 15th | 15th | WT | WT | WT | WT | WT | 10th | 12th | WT | 12th | WT | q | 6 |
| New Zealand | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | 1st | 5th | 1st | 4th | 7th | q | 13 |
| Samoa | 7th | 7th | 12th | WT | 10th | 9th | 8th | 12th | WT | 12th | WT | – | – | 8 |
| Scotland | 10th | 9th | 10th | 10th | 9th | 10th | 10th | 8th | 8th | 5th | 10th | 12th | WT | 12 |
| South Africa | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 5th | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | q | 13 |
| Tonga | 13th | 10th | 11th | 12th | WT | WT | WT | WT | – | – | – | WT | – | 4 |
| United States | 16th | WT | – | WT | WT | 12th | WT | – | WT | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| Uruguay | WT | 16th | WT | WT | – | WT | WT | WT | WT | WT | WT | WT | – | 1 |
| Wales | 4th | 6th | 7th | 7th | 3rd | 2nd | 7th | 6th | 7th | 7th | 7th | 6th | q | 13 |
| Total | 16 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
- Legend
- = Hosts
- 1st = Champions
- 2nd = Runners-up
- 3rd = Third place
- 4th = Fourth place
- Place = Relegated to World Rugby Under 20 Trophy
- WT = Competed in the World Rugby Under 20 Trophy
- q = Qualified
- – = Did not qualify
World Rugby Junior Player of the Year
| Year | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Luke Braid | New Zealand |
| 2009 | Aaron Cruden | New Zealand |
| 2010 | Julian Savea | New Zealand |
| 2011 | George Ford | England |
| 2012 | Jan Serfontein | South Africa |
| 2013 | Sam Davies | Wales |
| 2014 | Handré Pollard | South Africa |
| 2015 | James Chisholm | England |
| 2016 | Max Deegan | Ireland |
| 2017 | Juarno Augustus | South Africa |
| 2018 | Jordan Joseph | France |
| 2019 | Juan Pablo Castro | Argentina |
| Canceled 2020–2022 | ||
2020 World Rugby Under 20 Championship
The 2020 World Rugby Under 20 Championship was to have been the thirteenth version of the head age-grade rugby rivalry. The competition was to be in Italy for the third time, already being held in 2011 and 2015. Second-time champions France would have been the shielding champions.
On 20 March 2020, World Rugby declared that the title was dropped because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Host nation | Italy |
|---|---|
| No. of nations | 12 |
World Rugby Under 20 Championship Facts
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 2008 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Country | International (World Rugby) |
| Holders | France (2nd title) |
| Most titles | New Zealand (6 titles) |