Trophy win allows Japan Under-20s rejoin the world's elite in 2020 age-grade championship
The World Rugby Under-20 Trophy, the second tier of global age-grade rugby, has proven to be a good breeding ground for talent in recent years, despite the competing sides not boasting the player pools or the resources of their counterparts in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship.
The tournament, plus targeted funding from World Rugby, has allowed Georgia to establish themselves within the Championship after years of coming close in the Trophy. Last year’s promoted side, Fiji, were also able to avoid relegation in June, as Scotland were condemned to at least a year in the Trophy in their place.
Scotland will now join the hosts, which RugbyPass understands could be Spain, in next year’s Trophy, as well as the regional qualifiers from each continent. Teams such as Uruguay, Hong Kong, Portugal and Canada are regular participants, while the Oceania Rugby qualifier will be a shootout between Tonga and Samoa.
One team Scotland will not be joining in the Trophy, however, is Japan. The Asian side secured qualification back to the Championship on Sunday, beating Portugal in a nail-biting 35-34 win at the Estadio Martins Pereira, just outside São Paulo.
This will be the fourth time that Japan have competed in the Championship, with the Baby Blossoms having only ever spent one-year stints in the competition as they have been immediately relegated back to the Trophy.
Japan are your #WorldRugbyU20s Trophy champions! pic.twitter.com/ZojB0cz1zy
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) July 21, 2019
Japan will be hoping to buck that trend in Italy, hosts for the 2020 tournament, as they also seek to use the legacy of the 2019 Rugby World Cup to help catapult Japanese rugby to a level where they can consistently compete with tier one nations.
Two of the stars of this Japanese side, Shota Fukui and Halatoa Vailea, will graduate from under-20 rugby this year and head coach Yoshitake Mizuma will need to find new difference-makers to lean upon next season. In fact, a total of 20 players from this year’s squad will no longer be eligible in 2020, giving Mizuma plenty of work to do over the next ten months.
World Rugby U20 Trophy 2019 – Japan U20 v Portugal U20 https://t.co/PMRjCHDuSh
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) July 21, 2019
As celebrations went on in Japan, there was frustration in Portugal as the European side came within inches of qualifying for the Championship. Had they been able to, they would have been the only non-tier one European side, apart from Georgia, to qualify for the Championship in its 12-year history.
With a number of their key players returning for next year, Portugal will be among the favourites to qualify again for the Trophy, where they would join Scotland and, if they are granted rights to host the tournament, Spain, in a competition that looks like it will have a very European flavour.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Sensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
1 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
5 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
5 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
5 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
10 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
5 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
2 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to comments