2026 Junior World Championship pool stage Team of the Tournament

So, it’s a wrap for the pool stage of the World Rugby Junior World Championship, with England, South Africa, France and New Zealand still in the hunt for the 2026 title.

But before we turn our attention to the semi-finals, let’s assemble our Team of the Tournament so far, with South Africa and England accounting for almost half of the selections.

1. Oliver Reid (South Africa)
The Springbok prop factory continues to deliver, with Oliver Reid (and Danie Kruger) having done well in the opening stages of the Junior World Championship, putting in quite the shift at scrum time and around the breakdown.

2. Gabin Garault (France)
Four tries for the hooker, Gabin Garault’s leadership was key to driving the French forward pack forward, especially in their tight win over Australia. At the end of the pool stage, the Stade Rochelais hooker had recorded three jackals, 26 effective tackles, and a 90% lineout-throw success rate.

3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty (Scotland)
Scotland is stepping into a new era in the U20s, with the likes of Ollie Blyth-Lafferty exemplifying the fine talents being developed up north. The prop was voracious in his scrum exploits against New Zealand, Italy and Japan, pushing the opposition to concede seven penalties while showcasing a fearsome carrying game.

4. Heinrich Theron (South Africa)
The colossal Bulls lock was a commanding presence in the opening matches of the Junior World Championship. Beyond his ability to disrupt the opposite lineout, Theron was a staggering presence at the breakdown, winning several clashes and assuming the role of one of the Boks’ top enforcers.

5. Aiden Ainsworth-Cave (England)
The Northampton Saints lock was instrumental in England’s wins over Ireland and Argentina. From lineout work to breakdown contests, from defensive organisation to support running, Ainsworth-Cave delivered only excellent, mouth-watering performances.

6. Bradley Tocker (New Zealand)
Terrifyingly dominant, Bradley Tocker proved in his Junior World Championship debut that he is the “Next Big Thing” in New Zealand rugby, asserting his physical and technical superiority at every new step. Claimed five lineout steals, two successful jackals, looking sharp in the gritty areas of the game.

7. Lucas Andjisseramatchi (France)
La Rochelle’s specialist back-rower Lucas Andjisseramatchi was by some distance the best Les Bleus player of the opening stages, bagging a hat-trick of tries and spoiling several good attacking plays from the opposition with his dominant tackling and sniping jackling.

8. Connor Treacey (England)
England are through to the semi-finals, and Connor Treacey is one of the reasons why, as the No.8 was imperial from the back of the scrum while combining well with the backline to build precious momentum. Perhaps the most impressive statistic is that he missed only one tackle in 35 attempts, a detail that might make the difference in the semi-final.

9. Hendré Schoeman (South Africa)
The electrifying Hendré Schoeman served as a power supply to the Springboks’ running game, piecing together several key plays with his excellent passing.

10. Federico Serpa (Argentina)
50 points from the Pumitas maestro who fought valiantly to steer his team towards the knockouts. Serpa orchestrated a plethora of key plays that drove Argentina closer to the whitewash, outpacing and outmanoeuvring his pursuers with elegance and class.

11. Daniel Ryan (Ireland)
Five line breaks and four tries for the winger, Daniel Ryan, looked threatening from his side of the aisle. The Connacht Rugby speedster tore through opposing defences with a dazzling array of side-steps, giving Ireland a fighting chance in their clashes against England and Argentina.

12. Ethan Adams (South Africa)
As our reporter Jon Newcombe said, the newest ‘Pocket Rocket’ from the Springbok camp was eye-catching from the very start against Wales. The inside centre was phenomenal at generating smart plays that pushed South Africa to take complete control of the territory. However, Treyvon Pritchard could also be in the inside centre spot, as Australia’s talented back ran his team’s show with more than 300 running metres.

13. Zach Fittler (Australia)
Zach Fittler saw his opportunity and took it, as the young Waratahs centre produced dominant tackles, consistently winning the gain line with his pace and power, and providing a dependable presence in the Australian backline.

14. Bautista Lescano (Argentina)
If you saw a blond dot running from one side to the other, cruising past the opposition with ease, then you can bet that was Pumitas Bautista Lescano. The flamboyant winger crossed for four tries, breached the opposition defence on 11 occasions, and left 16 defenders trailing in his wake.

15. James Pater (England)
James Pater asserted his dominance from the back, dominating in the aerial contest and performing some of the competition’s best deep kicks, playing a key role in England’s qualification for the semi-finals. But the race for the full-back jersey went down to the wire, as Argentina’s Simon Pfister also deserved to be in the best line-up of the pool stages. The freakishly elusive Pumita added seven tries to his name, painting an exhilarating attacking canvas for his side.

Honourable mentions to Oriol Marsinyac (Spain), Danie Kruger (South Africa), Jack Dalziel (Scotland), Riccardo Casarin (Italy), Jordan Steenkamp (South Africa), Haki Wiseman (New Zealand) and Isoa Koroinawai (Fiji).