World Rugby Junior World Championship semi-final fixtures confirmed

Reigning champions South Africa U20 have booked their place in the World Rugby Junior World Championship semi-finals as top seeds following a winner-takes-all victory over Wales U20 in Tbilisi on Tuesday.

The Junior Boks overcame a 14-0 deficit in the first half to triumph 52-33 over Wales and secure top seeding heading into the semi-finals.

The contest was one of three matches between unbeaten sides in round three of the Junior World Championship in Georgia, with England U20 and Argentina U20 putting their unbeaten records on the line in Pool C, and France U20 and Australia U20 doing the same in Pool D.

Last year’s runners-up, New Zealand U20, got proceedings underway on Tuesday at the AIA Arena in Kutaisi, registering a 45-15 seven-try win over Italy U20 with seven different players crossing the line, and in doing so became the first side to book their place in the final.

Champions from 2024, England, played out an epic with Argentina at the Avchala Stadium following New Zealand’s victory, with Andy Titterrell’s side defending for their lives in the final play of the game to win 40-38 having held a 35-12 lead in the second half before being reduced to 13 men.

World Rugby U20 Championship

Pool A

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

South Africa U20

3

3

0

0

15

2

Wales U20

3

2

1

0

10

3

Georgia U20

3

1

2

0

7

4

Uruguay U20

3

0

3

0

0

Pool B

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

New Zealand U20

3

3

0

0

15

2

Scotland U20

3

2

1

0

11

3

Italy U20

3

1

2

0

7

4

Japan U20

3

0

3

0

1

Pool C

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

England U20

3

3

0

0

15

2

Argentina U20

3

2

1

0

12

3

Ireland U20

3

1

2

0

8

4

USA U20

3

0

3

0

1

Pool D

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

France U20

3

3

0

0

15

2

Australia U20

3

2

1

0

12

3

Fiji U20

3

1

2

0

5

4

Spain U20

3

0

3

0

3

France and Australia rounded off the top-of-the-pool deciders after at the AIA Arena at the same time as South Africa’s triumph in Tbilisi, with flanker Lucas Andjisseramatchi scoring twice to help Les Bleuets record a 34-29 win and march into the Championship semi-finals.

With all four pool-winners recording bonus-point wins in all three games, the seedings went down to points difference, with South Africa coming out on top with +125, followed by France, +60, New Zealand, +57, and England, +37.

South Africa will therefore play England, and New Zealand will play France in the Championship semi-finals on Monday, July 13, in Tbilisi.

The losses Wales, Argentina and Australia suffered mean they will now compete in the fifth-place semi-finals, on Sunday, July 12, and will be joined by Scotland U20, who defeated Japan U20 43-32 to finish second in Pool B. Australia, who finished top seeds, will face Wales and Argentina will play Scotland in those fixtures.

The final matches of Tuesday’s fixtures determined how the ninth-place semi-finals and 13th-place semi-finals would pan out, with third-place in Pool A, Georgia U20, playing fourth-place Uruguay, and third-place in Pool D, Spain U20, playing fourth-place Fiji U20.

Georgia comfortably won their contest 56-3, with flanker Luka Narsia scoring twice, to book a meeting with Italy U20, in the ninth-place semi-finals on Monday.

Fiji, meanwhile, who narrowly defeated Spain 29-26, will play Ireland U20, who finished as the best third-place side in the competition after their 73-22 win over USA U20, where both fly-half Charlie O’Shea and wing Sean Walsh scored hat-tricks.

In the 13-place semi-finals on Sunday, Spain will play Uruguay and Japan will play the USA.

World Rugby Junior World Championship semi-finals schedule

Championship semi-finals
France U20 vs New Zealand U20 – Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi, Monday, July 13, 18:00 local time / 15:00 BST
South Africa U20 vs England U20 – Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi, Monday, July 13, 20:30 local time / 17:30 BST

Fifth-place semi-finals
Argentina U20 vs Scotland U20 – Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi, Sunday, July 12, 18:00 local time / 15:00 BST
Australia U20 vs Wales U20 – Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi, Sunday, July 12, 20:30 local time / 17:30 BST

Ninth-place semi-finals
Georgia U20 vs Italy U20 – AIA Arena, Kutaisi, Monday, July 13, 18:00 local time / 15:00 BST
Ireland U20 vs Fiji U20 – AIA Arena, Kutaisi, Monday, July 13, 20:30 local time / 17:30 BST

13th-place semi-finals
Japan U20 vs USA U20 – AIA Arena, Kutaisi, Sunday, July 12, 18:00 local time / 15:00 BST
Spain U20 vs Uruguay U20 – AIA Arena, Kutaisi, Sunday, July 12, 20:30 local time / 17:30 BST