World’s best junior players to return to Western Cape for U-20 Championship
Matches will be played in Stellenbosch, Athlone and Cape Town.
Leo Drouet of France scores a try during the World Rugby U-20 Championship 2023 final against Ireland in Cape Town last year. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/World Rugby
The 12 best U-20 sides in the world will return to South Africa in June after World Rugby announced on Wednesday that the World Rugby U-20 Championship will again be hosted in the Western Cape.
The World Rugby U-20 Championship 2024 will be played over five match days in Stellenbosch and Cape Town, with the participating teams grouped into three pools of four. Three-time consecutive winners France are in Pool A with New Zealand, Wales and Spain, who will make their debut after winning the World Rugby U-20 Trophy in 2023.
After claiming the bronze medal with a superb defensive and forward display last year, the Junior Springboks will look to impress again on home soil and face England, Argentina and Fiji in Pool C, while 2023 runners-up Ireland, Australia, Georgia and Italy make up Pool B.
The first round is on Saturday, 29 June and the final will be played at Cape Town Stadium on 19 July.
Second successive year
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said South Africa is looking forward to welcoming back the world’s best young players to the Western Cape.
“We have a proud history of successfully staging world-class events and we are extremely proud to be hosting the World Rugby U-20 Championship for a second successive year in the Western Cape,” said Oberholzer.
“Despite the challenging weather we experienced at times during last winter’s successful tournament, our enthusiastic rugby supporters truly showed their passion for the game and eagerness to see the world’s best young players in action by turning out in numbers in Stellenbosch, Paarl and Cape Town.”
Oberholzer said planning for the tournament with World Rugby and key stakeholders is already well-advanced: “We are determined to improve on last year’s event and to present a memorable, world-class tournament that players, match officials and rugby fans – locals and from abroad – will thoroughly enjoy.”
The World Rugby U-20 Trophy 2024 will be hosted in Edinburgh, Scotland, where eight teams will fight for promotion to the Championship in 2025: Japan (relegated from the U-20 Championship in 2023), Scotland (hosts), Hong Kong China (Asia), Netherlands (Europe), Uruguay (South America) and representatives from Africa, North America and Oceania.
World Rugby U-20 Championship 2024
Date: 29 June to 19 July
Venues: Danie Craven Stadium (Stellenbosch), Athlone Stadium, Cape Town Stadium (both in Cape Town)
Pools (with 2023 ranking in brackets)
Pool A: France (1), Wales (6), New Zealand (7), Spain (12)
Pool B: Ireland (2), Australia (5), Georgia (8), Italy (11)
Pool C: South Africa (3), England (4), Argentina (9), Fiji (10)
Pool matches:
- Match day 1: Saturday, 29 June
- Match day 2: Thursday, 4 July
- Match day 3: Tuesday, 9 July
Playoff matches:
- Match day 4: Sunday,14 July
- Match day 5: Friday, 19 July (final and ranking matches)
