Key battles ahead of the World Rugby U20 Championship final
For just the third time in the competition’s 11-year history, there will be an all-northern hemisphere final in the World Rugby U20 Championship.
England booked their place in the competition’s showpiece finale for the sixth season running – their ninth final overall – after beating South Africa in Narbonne, whilst France will make their debut at this stage following a win over New Zealand in Perpignan, with fourth-place finishes in 2011, 2015 and 2017 their previous best.
The two sides contested the U20 Six Nations earlier this season, too, with France lifting the trophy on points difference, although England did beat France during the tournament, 22-6, a match that was played out at Stade de la Mediterranee in Béziers, the same stadium that will play host to the final on Sunday.
It was a largely even game, with England having a slight upper-hand, but France blew any chances of a comeback when Hassane Kolingar and Pierre-Henri Azagoh were both sent off for a dangerous tackle on Fraser Dingwall.
Both teams have come a long way since that game, with changing casts in personnel, and it is unlikely that France will gift England a similar comfortable end to the game this Sunday, that they did back in March.
We break down the three key areas where the game will be won and lost and who has the advantage heading into the final 80 minutes of the tournament.
Jordan Joseph vs England’s back-row
Joseph has been one of, if not the star of the tournament so far and finding a way to keep him under wraps will be one of England’s key priorities on Sunday.
The fast-rising French N8 enjoyed starring roles in his side’s wins over South Africa and New Zealand and brought decisive impact from the bench in the tournament opener against Ireland. As of yet, no team has been able to stop him from imposing his will on the game.
The duty of stopping him won’t just fall on the back-row but with his powerful carries off the base of the scrum, the link work he does between the pack and the back line and the speed he possesses to break away from the tighter confines on the pitch, it’s going to be the mobility of the back-row that he finds himself up against more often than not.
Well, that or some beleaguered half-backs.
In Ben Curry, Ted Hill and Josh Basham, England have three very adept operators – all of whom are enjoying good tournaments – but they will have their work cut out trying to stop Joseph. With the physicality Curry brings having spent his first two seasons out of school playing senior rugby, this responsibility is going to fall particularly hard on openside, who also has his own mouth-watering match-up with Cameron Woki to worry about.
It’s not too dissimilar to the situation England found themselves in back in 2015, when they came face-to-face with a rampaging Akira Ioane in the final. They were successful in keeping him quieter than anyone else in the tournament had managed, but they still ended up losing the game to New Zealand, so they will need to be aware of the threats outside of Joseph, too.
Battle of the playmakers
This looks like it is going to be a match-up of four excellent ball-players, with France’s Louis Carbonel and Romain Ntamack going head-to-head with the 10-12 axis of Marcus Smith and Tom Hardwick for England.
Whichever side can get their playmakers moving forward on to the ball should be able to profit in the back line, though you expect it is something which is especially important to England’s chances of success.
Having Smith and Hardwick at 10 and 12 respectively allows England to move the ball wide quickly, bringing into the game the dynamic threats they have in the back-three. It also lets England split their back line, have first receivers at different depths and an array of kicking options, should the game prove tight and territorial.
Carbonel and Ntamack give France similar options, but their threats out wide don’t quite stack up with the danger that England’s outside backs pose.
In Smith and Ntamack you have two of the top young fly-half talents in world rugby, but with the added experience that Smith has at senior level and the speed of thought and clinical execution he brings to the field, this is an area you would expect England to have a slight advantage.
Set-piece showdown
After Demba Bamba wrecked the New Zealand scrum on Tuesday, you could be forgiven for thinking the English front-row would be having sleepless nights over facing him, except they did back in March and came out of it relatively unscathed.
Bamba’s opposite number that day was Toby Trinder, who has unfortunately had to retire from the tournament with injury, but France have had their own substantial loss in the form of loosehead Kolingar. Both teams have solid scrums and good replacements available, so it should be a compelling contest throughout, although a slight advantage could be given to France.
Where France may have a more significant advantage is at the lineout, a problem area for England for the past two seasons.
Hooker Henry Walker and his lineout targets had looked in efficient shape against Italy and Scotland in the pool stage, but against South Africa the group lost its way a little. Across the entire season, it’s an area Guillaume Marchand and his jumpers have been more consistent in.
Another thing France have working in their favour is the defensive lineout ability of Woki, who’s arguably a more potent threat to steal or muddy opposition ball than any of England’s options.
Prediction
It’s an incredibly tough game to call.
To borrow from the currently ongoing football World Cup, England are the Germany of U20s rugby. They are powerful, skilful, mentally strong and despite the constantly changing cast, consistently find ways to win and make it to finals.
That said, France are clearly the Brazil of the tournament. It would have been kind to say they looked average against both Georgia and Ireland, yet they have backed that up with extremely impressive wins over South Africa and New Zealand and seem to be peaking at just the right time, even if there is a more mercurial nature to them.
England have the advantage in the playmakers and the back line, yet France have the upper-hand at the set-piece. It could well be the respective back-rows that decide this game, with Curry’s battle against Joseph and Woki an appetising one, although the trio of Basham, Hill and Antonin Berruyer should not be overlooked, either.
England to sneak it, just.
The loss of Kolingar will hurt France and they are coming up against the best scrum and most physical team they have yet to see at the competition. France will still have the advantage in those two areas, but the disparity should be small enough to negate some of France’s recent dominance in the tight and allow England to still utilise their own advantages.
Comments on RugbyPass
True Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
21 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
21 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
21 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
21 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
21 Go to comments