For the first time since 2019 we have an Under 20 Rugby World Championship! There was a lot of quality on display and some games where an upset looked to be on the cards. We cannot wait to see what round 2 brings!

POOL A

France 75 Japan 12

France dominated the World Rugby U20 Championship opener, scoring 11 tries to secure a convincing bonus-point victory over a resilient Japan.

Having clinched the trophy in the previous two tournaments, Les Bleuets capitalized on their size and power advantage to establish a commanding lead in the first half. Despite temporarily being reduced to 13 players, with center Nicolas Depoortere and replacement back-row Esteban Capilla receiving yellow cards from referee Hollie Davidson, who became the first female referee in a World Rugby U20 Championship match, France showcased their prowess.

Depoortere initiated the scoring within the first three minutes, capitalizing on a sweeping and forceful play to touch down under the posts for the first of his two tries. Fly-half Hugo Reus followed suit just four minutes later, benefiting from the French pack’s dominance in a scrum. France secured their third try in the 10th minute through the impressive performance of Mastercard Player of the Match Marko Gazzotti. They also secured a bonus-point try within the opening quarter as Noa Zinzen found the try line after Baptiste Jauneau’s clever blindside move from yet another dominant scrum.

The scoreline, however, does not fully reflect the game’s narrative. Japan exhibited courage and determination, creating opportunities to score and penetrating France’s danger zone on multiple occasions. Their two tries, one in each half, originated from five-meter lineouts. Kosho Muto successfully evaded the French defense to touch down beneath the posts after his pack relentlessly pressured the opponents, while Takashi Omoto powered over the try line following a well-executed maul shortly after the one-hour mark.

Nonetheless, by that point, France had already converted eight tries. Merely minutes after Zinzen’s substitution, Capilla swiftly positioned himself alongside Depoortere, who embarked on an explosive run parallel to the touchline, leaving defenders in his wake and extending the lead to 35-7, shortly after Muto had put Japan on the scoreboard.

Gazzotti secured his second try, marking France’s sixth, only three minutes later as Les Bleuets executed their powerful and direct playbook with precision.

Despite having two players in the sin bin, France maintained firm control over the match, prompting coach Sebastien Calvet to make several halftime substitutions and rotate his squad in preparation for their upcoming clash against New Zealand on Thursday. Nevertheless, the tries kept flowing. Mathis Ferte crossed the try line within two minutes of the second half, demonstrating the team’s cohesive and rapid phase play even while short-handed.

Depoortere added his second try seven minutes later, and replacement scrum-half Léo Carbonneau contributed to another swift attacking move with nine minutes remaining. Even towards the end, there was time for Brent Liufau to profit from the power of hooker Barnabé Massa, and Massy back-rower Andy Timo showcased his exceptional speed, sprinting 70 meters to secure the final try of the match.

New Zealand 27 Wales 26

In a thrilling encounter at Paarl Gymnasium, New Zealand showcased their tenacity as they mounted a remarkable comeback in the second half, withstanding a late surge from Wales to secure a narrow bonus-point victory.

Wales dominated the first half, heading into halftime with a comfortable 19-5 lead. However, the tables turned dramatically in the third quarter as New Zealand capitalized on the favorable wind conditions, scoring 22 unanswered points. Fly-half Taha Kemara proved to be a master of utilizing the elements to his advantage.

Wales set the stage for an exhilarating finale when replacement hooker Sam Scarfe powered over the try line in the last minute. Only moments earlier, Scarfe had a try disallowed for losing control of the ball while crossing the line. However, Wales’ hopes were dashed as they failed to secure the restart kick, allowing New Zealand to boot the ball into touch and secure their 50th victory in the competition.

The match began with Wales facing the formidable Haka, and they soon fell behind to an early try from New Zealand’s right-wing Caleb Tangitau. However, Wales utilized their forward strength to dominate the remainder of the first half. Hooker Liam Lloyd barged over for their opening try, followed by fly-half Dan Edwards, who exploited a gap in New Zealand’s defense.

Wales believed they had scored a third try when number eight Morgan Morse appeared to have wriggled his way over. Yet, referee Anthony Woodthorpe, from England, detected a double movement, disallowing the score. Nonetheless, Morse found redemption as he supported a break from full-back Cameron Winnett and crashed over the line, with Edwards converting.

The dynamics of the game underwent a complete transformation in the opening 15 minutes of the second half, as New Zealand skillfully utilized the wind to their advantage. Left-wing Macca Springer replicated New Zealand’s first try, and Wales experienced their own medicine as they struggled to prevent number eight Peter Lakai from crossing over.

Kemara successfully added the conversion, while full-back Harry Godfrey temporarily assumed kicking duties and slotted a straightforward penalty, reclaiming the lead. The bonus-point try swiftly followed when Kemara executed a precise kick, tapped back by Springer into the waiting hands of blindside flanker Che Clark, who was named the Mastercard Player of the Match.

Edwards missed a late penalty attempt, but he made amends by converting Scarfe’s try from the touchline, earning Wales two bonus points in the process.

POOL B

England 34 Ireland 34

In a fiercely contested battle, England and Ireland played out only the second draw in the history of the U20 Championship’s pool stages.

The match was characterized by a physical showdown between two formidable packs, resulting in some thunderous collisions and three cards shown, including one yellow to each side and a late red card to Ireland’s center, Hugh Cooney.

The outcome of the game hung in the balance throughout, with missed kicks at goal from Ireland’s fly-half, Sam Prendergast, proving significant in the final result.

Prendergast could only convert two of Ireland’s six tries, while his counterpart, Connor Slevin, found success with all five of his attempts. A late surge from England, including a brace of tries from replacement back Jacob Cusick, saw them mount a comeback. Ultimately, it was Ireland who managed to hold on.

Slevin kicked off the scoring with a penalty in the fourth minute, but Ireland dominated most of the first half, crossing the try line through Prendergast and prop George Hadden. However, a moment of individual brilliance from England’s loose-head, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, provided respite. Opoku-Fordjour, a powerful force, bulldozed his way past two defenders in a remarkable 20-meter run to score, with Slevin converting to level the scores at 10-10.

Prendergast’s defensive interventions thwarted England’s attempts to take the lead. On the other hand, Ireland also had multiple chances to extend their advantage before finally converting possession into points just before halftime. Number eight James McNabney capitalized on a tap penalty to score for Ireland.

Despite being outscored three tries to one and spending more time on the defensive, England remained within five points of Ireland at halftime, thanks in part to Prendergast’s third missed kick at goal.

The tables turned at the start of the second half when England’s dominant scrum began to assert its authority. Ireland found it difficult to escape their 22-meter area, and after sustained pressure, they conceded their second try shortly after flanker Diarmuid Mangan was sin-binned for impeding play at the ruck.

Rekeiti Ma’asi-White was inches away from scoring, and shortly after, a forceful surge from the relentless Chandler Cunningham-South resulted in a penalty try for England as Ireland committed another infraction in the red zone.

Taking advantage of the extra space due to Mangan’s absence, England created a well-worked try for Jacob Cusick in the corner. However, Ireland responded with tries from Ruadhan Quinn and Henry McErlean, the latter while Greg Fisilau was in the sin bin. John Devine combined with his center partner Hugh Cooney, and with Prendergast converting the try, Ireland held a double-figure lead with 15 minutes remaining.

England’s captain, Ollie Chessum, remained composed under pressure, making the sensible decision to kick for goal, which Slevin successfully executed. When Cusick scored his second try in the same corner, and Slevin expertly slotted the conversion from the touchline, the scores were level at 34-34. Despite Ireland being a player short, both teams made mistakes as they sought a decisive score, and the match ended in a stalemate.

Australia 46 Fiji 37

Australia secured a hard-fought victory against a determined Fiji side in an exhilarating and momentum-shifting match at Danie Craven Stadium. Two late tries in the span of three minutes from full-back Mason Gordon and winger Darby Lancaster proved pivotal as Fiji began to tire.

In the dying moments of the game, a penalty from Jack Bowen extended the Junior Wallabies’ lead beyond seven points, denying Fiji a well-deserved second bonus point.

Throughout the match, Fiji matched Australia’s intensity and had even taken the lead late in the second half after Junior Wallabies’ loose-head Marley Pearce received a red card for a dangerous tackle, following a review by the TMO Bunker.

At halftime, there was only a four-point difference between the two teams in a fast-paced and entertaining first half that saw Australia secure a try-scoring bonus point.

Australia’s second-row Jhy Legg came close to scoring early on but was held up by determined Fiji defense. However, hooker Liam Bowron found himself at the back of a fantastic maul that crossed the try line.

Fiji responded immediately with Waqa Nalaga scoring following a confident pass from Isaiah Ravula, moments after Bronson Lee secured the restart.

The Junior Wallabies’ tight-head Nick Bloomfield then completed a breathtaking move after David Vaihu straightened the line.

Ravula kept Fiji in contention with his second penalty, but Darby Lancaster, known for his sevens skills, scored in the corner as Australia exploited the wide channels once again.

Australia’s forward dominance began to show as they executed successful pick-and-drives, leading to Vaihu crossing the try line and securing the try-scoring bonus. Just as Australia seemed to be pulling away, Mesake Vocevoce made a powerful run but was brought down. Fiji recycled the ball, and captain Moti Murray scored.

Mastercard Player of the Match, David Vaihu, played a crucial role in the early stages of the second half, providing the final pass for Ronan Leahy to score in the corner, giving Australia a 29-20 lead.

However, Fiji quickly fought back, with Murray charging within five meters of the try line. Ratu Kavaia Tagivetaua crashed over after a series of Fijian pick-and-drives.

With a player advantage, Timoci Nakalevu powered through to score, giving Fiji a five-point lead that was extended to eight after Ravula successfully kicked a penalty. However, Fiji’s fatigue began to take its toll, and it proved decisive in the final outcome as Mason Gordon and Darby Lancaster made the difference for Australia.

POOL C

Argentina 43 Italy 15

Argentina’s fly-half Juan Baronio delivered a standout performance, earning the Mastercard Player of the Match award, as Los Pumitas struggled to secure a victory against a 14-man Italian team. Baronio contributed a try and added 11 points with his accurate kicking, including an impressive drop goal from halfway.

Italy’s Giovanni Sante opened the scoring in the tournament with a simple penalty in the third minute, taking advantage of Argentina’s loose-head Matías Medrano’s early defensive line jump.

Italy showcased resilience in their defense, fending off Argentina’s attacks and benefiting from their opponents’ mistakes. However, the game took a turn in the 15th minute when Italy’s prop, Destiny Aminu, was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle.

Despite being a man down, Italy’s Dewi Passarella displayed brilliance with an individual try, sprinting home after the Azzurrini pack managed to secure possession from a scrum on halfway.

Argentina found their way back into the game thanks to another 50:22 kick from the skilled left boot of Juan Baronio. Shifting to the blindside, Baronio managed to ground the ball amidst two defenders and successfully converted his own try, reducing the gap to just one point.

Matthias Leon Douglas threatened Argentina’s defense with a dangerous run, and Italy appeared more comfortable with ball in hand.

However, gaps began to appear in Italy’s defense, allowing Argentina to score two tries in the final five minutes of the first half through captain Eliseo Chiavassa and winger Mateo Soler. With Baronio converting both tries, Los Pumitas entered halftime with a 21-8 lead.

Italy suffered a blow as Passarella exited the match due to an arm injury during an extended period of defending, during which their tackle count approached 100.

Once second-row Efraín Elías scored from close range and Baronio successfully converted, Italy faced an uphill battle.

Argentina faced challenges in converting their opportunities into points due to overzealous breakdown play. It wasn’t until the 63rd minute that Los Pumitas added to their tally with a try from replacement hooker Valentino Minoyetti, following a driving maul.

Italy displayed glimpses of their attacking capabilities, and David Odiase capped off a strong performance with a try in the 68th minute.

However, the undeniable star of the match was Juan Baronio, who showcased his immense potential with a perfectly executed drop goal from 50 meters out. Argentina sealed the victory with a try from Benjamín Elizalde, concluding a well-executed move involving the back-three, two minutes before the final whistle.

South Africa 33 Georgia 23

South Africa faced a tough challenge in their opening match against Georgia, despite enjoying the home advantage at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch. Georgia, coming off a victory against England in a warm-up match, tested the Junior Springboks with moments of individual brilliance in a physical contest.

South Africa’s centre and vice-captain, Katlego Letebele, showcased his skill by turning defense into attack, executing a sublime chip-and-collect after Georgia turned over possession near the halfway line. Right wing Juremzo Julius added to the highlights with an acrobatic finish, capitalizing on a well-executed team move initiated by full-back Hakeem Kunene.

However, South Africa faced challenges throughout the match, particularly against Georgia’s formidable pack, which troubled them in the scrums. Despite their efforts, the Junior Springboks fell short of securing a try bonus point, which could have implications in the race for a spot in the semi-finals.

Fly-half Jean Smith, named the Mastercard Player of the Match, played a crucial role with his accurate place-kicking. He maintained a flawless record off the tee, converting three tries and slotting four penalties.

Georgia displayed tenacity throughout the match, giving South Africa plenty to consider. Captain and blindside flanker Lasha Tsikhistavi crossed the try line from close range after 14 minutes, with fly-half Petre Khutsishvili adding the extra points.

In the second half, Khutsishvili added a penalty, and Georgia’s confidence grew as they disrupted South Africa’s scrums successfully. A series of penalties allowed Georgia to build pressure, resulting in centre Tornike Kakhoidze breaking through the home defense to set up winger Luka Tsirekidze for a try. However, Khutsishvili missed the conversion but made amends with a penalty soon after when South Africa’s openside flanker, Ghudian van Reenen, received a yellow card for repeated team offenses.

With Georgia narrowing the gap to two points, South Africa responded by capitalizing on their opportunities. Smith kicked two penalties, and a turnover close to Georgia’s try line allowed centre Ethan Hooker to pick up and score.

In the closing moments, Georgia managed to score a try through replacement hooker Nika Babunashvili from a lineout. However, it was too late to deny South Africa the victory.