Ireland U20 stand in the way of the semi-finals for New Zealand U20

New Zealand achieved their highest placing in the World Rugby Under 20 Championship since 2017 last year with a resounding 38-24 victory over Ireland in the third-place playoff.

The 2025 class is aiming to replicate that success against Ireland in their final Pool C match in Calvisano on Wednesday. A win will secure a spot in the semi-finals, and co-captains Mosese Bason and Dylan Pledger, who participated in last year’s victory, are clear about their leadership roles.

“We split our responsibilities. I handle discussions around scrums and lineouts and take charge of the loose forwards and front row,” Bason stated.

“I communicate with the backs. I usually talk behind the posts after points are scored or conceded,” Pledger revealed.

Both players agreed that collaboration enhances possibilities and eases pressure, resulting in greater clarity.

New Zealand appeared more assured in their 38-19 victory over Georgia than in their tense 14-5 opening win against tournament hosts Italy. They scored six tries against the Junior Lelos and successfully thwarted three consecutive rolling mauls inside their 22, which had been a weakness in previous tournaments.

“The big boys showed up on defense, and we dominated the set piece,” Pledger enthused. “Having two first-fives on the field, Rico Simpson and Will Cole, made my job easier. They are both classy players and game drivers, which took a lot of pressure off me by providing more options.”

Bason added, “It felt great to stop those mauls and win some of the collisions. If we get our mindset right, we’ll perform well.”

For Ireland to reach the semi-finals, they need to overcome the Junior All Blacks, which means winning with a bonus point and limiting New Zealand to a maximum of one bonus point.

Ireland beat Georgia 35-28 in their opening match, but despite dominating the stats against Italy, they lost their second match 18-16, missing a conversion that would have tied the game at the last kick.

“Ireland has a strong forward pack with many lineout variations,” Bason said. “We need to win the physicality and zone in on their set pieces. They also have a clever kicking game, so we need to apply pressure on their 10.”

Interestingly, in last year’s 38-24 win against Ireland, Mosese’s brother, Vernon Bason, scored two tries, as did starting right winger Frank Vanenuku.

A significant mental challenge players face at the tournament is the increased scrutiny they are under. New Zealand has received three yellow cards in two matches for disciplinary infractions detected by the television match official. This scrutiny is a new experience for Tasman center Cooper Roberts, a twice Super Rugby Under 20 champion with the Crusaders.

“I’m getting used to it, but being watched at every ruck definitely makes you more cautious,” Roberts said. “You have to be careful around body height during carries and tackles, avoid head contact at all costs, and don’t be reckless in the clean-out.”

Bason mentioned, “We train for moments like having game drivers sent off and for unexpected situations during matches. Sometimes the rules can appear harsh, but if you play hard and fair, you won’t face any problems.”

Roberts hails from Marlborough Boys’ College and plays for the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. In 2024 he helped his club reach the Canterbury Senior Metro final and debuted for Tasman in the NPC against Otago.

In May Roberts started all three games in New Zealand’s Under 20 Rugby Championship success in South Africa. Reflecting on that experience, he shared with Peter Jones of the Marlborough App, “After that first game against Australia [a draw] we began to connect a lot better, it was a wake-up call, and our second game [against Argentina] felt pretty good the – we managed to rattle them a bit.

“In the final game, against South Africa, we were three tries down very quickly, which was a bit of a shock, but the boys stayed very calm. We hadn’t touched the ball but we knew our attack was our weapon … so when we got some possession we ended up coming back and eventually winning, which was a great boost.”