Australia national under-20 rugby union team

Australia

Union	Rugby Australia
Nickname	Junior Wallabies
Coach	Chris Whitaker
Team kit
First international
Australia 81–12 Canada   (6 June 2008; Rodney Parade, Newport)
Largest win
Australia 91–7 Tonga   (1 May 2018; Bond Sports Park, Gold Coast)
Largest defeat
Australia 12–69 New Zealand   (10 July 2022; SC Stadium, Bokarina)
World Cup
Appearances	14 (First in 2008)
Best result	Runners-up (2010, 2019)

Logo 2008–2017

The Australia national under-20 rugby union team, nicknamed the Junior Wallabies, is the national under-20 rugby union team that represents Australia. The team has been competing at the annual World Rugby U20 Championship since it began in 2008, replacing the previously held under-19 and under-21 championships. The team also competes at the Oceania U20 Championship as of 2015 and the U20 Rugby Championship since 2024.

Australia's highest finish at the World Rugby U20 Championship was second-place in 2010 ^{[1] [2]} and 2019. The team finished third in 2011 by beating France in the third place playoff, ^[3] and fourth in 2009 after losing to South Africa 32–5 in the third place playoff. ^[4] The Junior Wallabies also finished second in the first four editions of the Oceania U20 Championship before being crowned champions in 2019 after defeating New Zealand 24–0. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

Team name

The Junior Wallabies name was incorporated into the Australian under-20 crest prior to the 2018 season, but the name was also previously applied to several other teams in the history of Australian rugby. ^{[8] [9]} In the era of amateur rugby from the 1950s onwards, the Junior Wallabies team was selected from uncapped players (with no age restriction) to play against touring Test sides ^{[10] [11]} or to represent Australia on goodwill tours to Asia and the Pacific. ^{[12] [13]} Media publications sometimes also used the name Junior Wallabies to refer to age-graded national teams such as the Australian under-19 side, ^[14] Australian Schoolboys, ^{[15] [16]} and later the Australian under-20 team. ^{[17] [18]}

Overall record

Summary for all competitive test matches up to and including the 2025 season:

As of 17 May 2025. ^[a]

Opponent	Pld	W	D	L	W%	PF	PA	Diff.
Argentina	9	4	0	5	44.44%	202	181	+21
Canada	2	2	0	0	100%	167	12	+155
England	8	1	1	6	12.5%	165	204	–39
Fiji	8	8	0	0	100%	352	125	+228
France	7	3	0	4	42.86%	178	170	+8
Georgia	1	1	0	0	100%	35	11	+24
Ireland	4	2	0	2	50%	98	84	+14
Italy	7	6	0	1	85.71%	232	91	+141
Japan	3	3	0	0	100%	165	64	+101
Japan U23	1	1	0	0	100%	54	26	+28
New Zealand	18	4	1	13	22.22%	377	626	–249
Samoa	6	6	0	0	100%	228	94	+134
Scotland	6	4	0	2	66.67%	218	104	+114
South Africa	5	3	0	2	60%	113	156	–43
Tonga	4	4	0	0	100%	252	25	+227
Wales	6	5	0	1	83.33%	204	133	+71
Total	95	57	2	36	60%	3,040	2,106	+934

World Rugby U20 Championship record

World Rugby U20 Championship record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA
2008	Fifth place	5	4	0	1	221	68
2009	Fourth place	5	3	0	2	186	74
2010	Runners-up	5	4	0	1	239	131
2011	Third place	5	3	0	2	166	117
2012	Eighth place	5	1	0	4	107	94
2013	Seventh place	5	2	0	3	114	84
2014	Fifth place	5	4	0	1	176	101
2015	Fifth place	5	4	0	1	136	110
2016	Sixth place	5	2	0	3	120	116
2017	Sixth place	5	3	0	2	135	106
2018	Fifth place	5	3	0	2	178	103
2019	Runners-up	5	3	0	2	171	122
2023	Fifth place	5	3	1	1	179	157
2024 [b]	Sixth place	4 [b]	2	0	2	89	71
2025	To be determined.
Total	Runners-up (2)	69	41	1	27	2,217	1,454

U20 Rugby Championship record

U20 Rugby Championship record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA
2024	Fourth place	3	1	0	2	55	80
2025	Runners-up	3	2	1	0	98	89
Total	Runners-up (1)	6	3	1	2	153	169

Oceania Rugby U20 Championship record

Oceania Rugby U20 Championship record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA
2015	Runners-up	3	2	0	1	109	87
2016	Runners-up	2	1	0	1	35	54
2017	Runners-up	3	2	0	1	81	87
2018	Runners-up	3	2	0	1	170	55
2019	Champions	3	3	0	0	104	14
2022	Third place	3	1	0	2	91	98
Total	Champions (1)	17	11	0	6	590	395

Head coaches

Coach	Tenure	P	W	D	L	W%
Brian Melrose	2008 [22]	5	4	0	1	80%
David Nucifora	2009–2012 [23] [24]	20	11	0	9	55%
Adrian Thompson	2013–2016 [25]	25	15	0	10	60%
Simon Cron	2017 [26]	8	5	0	3	62.5%
Jason Gilmore	2018–2019 [27]	16	11	0	5	68.75%
Nathan Grey	2020–2024 [28]	17	8	1	8	47.06%
Chris Whitaker	2025–present [29]	To be determined

Players

Current squad

On 9 June 2025, head coach Chris Whitaker announced a 30-player squad for the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy. ^[30]

On 18 June, Dre Pakeho withdrew from the squad due to injury and was replaced by Malakye Enasio. ^[31]

Head coach: Chris Whitaker

Position	Name	Age	Club
Prop	Edwin Langi	(2006-04-22) April 22, 2006 (age 19)	NSW Waratahs
Prop	Finn Baxter	(2005-04-27) April 27, 2005 (age 20)	ACT Brumbies
Prop	Nathaniel Tiitii	(2005-01-28) January 28, 2005 (age 20)	NSW Waratahs
Prop	Lotu Vunipola	(2005-06-03) June 3, 2005 (age 20)	NSW Waratahs
Prop	Nick Hill	(2006-05-24) May 24, 2006 (age 19)	NSW Waratahs
Prop	Trevor King	(2005-03-17) March 17, 2005 (age 20)	Queensland Reds
Hooker	Lipina Ata	(2005-06-12) June 12, 2005 (age 20)	ACT Brumbies
Hooker	Ollie Barrett	(2005-08-06) August 6, 2005 (age 20)	Western Force
Hooker	Will Guilfoyle	(2005-12-06) December 6, 2005 (age 19)	NSW Waratahs
Lock	Aden Ekanayake	(2005-03-18) March 18, 2005 (age 20)	Australia Sevens
Lock	Eamon Doyle (c)	(2005-09-13) September 13, 2005 (age 20)	NSW Waratahs
Lock	Joe Mangelsdorf	(2005-05-10) May 10, 2005 (age 20)	NSW Waratahs
Lock	Ollie Aylmer	(2005-02-24) February 24, 2005 (age 20)	ACT Brumbies
Back row	Beau Morrison	(2005-06-22) June 22, 2005 (age 20)	ACT Brumbies
Back row	Charlie Brosnan	(2005-01-27) January 27, 2005 (age 20)	Queensland Reds
Back row	Eli Langi	(2006-09-25) September 25, 2006 (age 19)	ACT Brumbies
Back row	Toby Brial	(2006-05-23) May 23, 2006 (age 19)	NSW Waratahs
Back row	Tom Robinson	(2006-03-17) March 17, 2006 (age 19)	Queensland Reds
Scrum-half	Hwi Sharples	(2005-06-22) June 22, 2005 (age 20)	NSW Waratahs
Scrum-half	James Martens	(2005-08-17) August 17, 2005 (age 20)	Queensland Reds
Fly-half	Joe Dillon	(2005-05-29) May 29, 2005 (age 20)	ACT Brumbies
Fly-half	Joey Fowler	(2005-04-06) April 6, 2005 (age 20)	NSW Waratahs
Centre	Boston Fakafanua	(2005-07-29) July 29, 2005 (age 20)	Western Force
Centre	Cooper Watters	(2006-08-21) August 21, 2006 (age 19)	NSW Waratahs
Centre	Malakye Enasio	(2005-09-20) September 20, 2005 (age 20)	ACT Brumbies
Centre	Xavier Rubens	(2005-07-26) July 26, 2005 (age 20)	Queensland Reds
Winger	Liam Grover	(2005-07-24) July 24, 2005 (age 20)	NSW Waratahs
Winger	Nick Conway	(2007-02-14) February 14, 2007 (age 18)	Queensland Reds
Fullback	Shane Wilcox	(2005-02-14) February 14, 2005 (age 20)	ACT Brumbies
Fullback	Sid Harvey	(2005-10-07) October 7, 2005 (age 20)	NSW Waratahs

Honours

World Junior Championship

• Runners-up (2): 2010, 2019

Oceania Junior Championship

• Winners (1): 2019
• Runners-up (4): 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Award winners

The following Australia U20s players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2008: ^[32]

World Rugby Junior Player of the Year

Year	Nominees	Winners
2009	Richard Kingi	—
2010	Robbie Coleman
2015	Jonah Placid
2019	Fraser McReight

See also

• Sports portal
• Australia portal

• Australian Under 20 Rugby Championship
• Australia national under-19 rugby union team
• Australia national under-21 rugby union team

Notes

1. "rugbydatabase.co.nz" displays the Australia U20s record, however does not include a pre-2023 World Rugby U20 Championship two-test tour of New Zealand. ^[19]
2. In the pool stage of the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship, Australia's scheduled fixture against Ireland was cancelled due to weather conditions, rendering the pitch unplayable and unsafe. ^{[20] [21]} Each team was awarded two points. ^[21] Thus Australia did not play the expected three pool stage matches followed-up by two knockout stage matches. Rather, Australia played two pool stage matches and two knockout stage matches, or four in total.

References

1. "New Zealand crowned JWC 2010 champions". IRB. 21 June 2010. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
2. "Young Wallabies finish runners up at Junior Worlds". 2010.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
3. "France 17–30 Australia". IRB. 26 June 2011. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
4. "Australia finishes fourth at IRB Junior World Championship". 2009.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
5. "Rugby – Junior Wallabies beat New Zealand to win Oceania under-20s crown". Special Broadcasting Service . 5 May 2019.
6. Decent, Tom (5 May 2019). "Junior Wallabies thumping of NZ provides lift game desperately needs". The Sydney Morning Herald . Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019.
7. "Junior Wallabies deliver good news with Oceania title win over New Zealand" . The Australian . News Corp Australia. 6 May 2019.
8. "John Weatherstone, 22, left, who will leave Australia on Saturday to tour Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan with the Junior Wallabies". The Canberra Times. 6 March 1972. p. 36, col. 4. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
9. "S. Africa names a strong side". The Canberra Times. 27 July 1971. p. 22, col. 4. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
10. Australian Rugby Union (27 January 2009). "Biographies - Norman Peter Reilly". Brave and Game. Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
11. "Third visit in five years". The Canberra Times. 8 July 1990. p. 36. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
12. "State Players Nominated". The West Australian. Perth. 25 June 1953. p.18, col. 2. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
13. "Union teams selected for Ceylon, Fiji tours". Illawarra Daily Mercury. Wollongong. 9 July 1953. p.12, col. 5. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
14. "Roff keen to tackle NZ side". The Canberra Times. 22 July 1994. p. 28. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
15. "Junior Wallabies maintain unbeaten record". The Canberra Times. 22 January 1982. p. 18. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
16. "Schoolboys still dominant". The Canberra Times. 28 January 1982. p. 26. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
17. Tucker, Jim (7 May 2016). "Goalkicker Mack Mason proves hero as junior Wallabies become history-makers in beating All Blacks". The Courier-Mail. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
18. "Sport: Samoa expecting full-strength Australia in U20 opener". Radio New Zealand . 2 June 2015. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
19. "Australia Under-20 – Head to Head". rugbydatabase.co.nz. Archived from the original on 18 May 2025.
20. "Ireland v Australia in World U20 Championship cancelled". BBC Sport . BBC. 9 July 2024.
21. Williamson, Nathan (9 July 2024). "Australia U20s coach Grey blasts call to cancel Ireland game, ending World Championship semi-final hopes". rugby.com.au. Rugby Australia.
22. "Australia announce strong U20s squad". ESPN. 6 May 2008. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
23. "Annual Report 2009" (PDF). Australian Rugby Union. pp. 40–41. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
24. "Trans-Tasman rivals set for final showdown". ESPN. 20 June 2010. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
25. "Australian U20s coach announced". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 15 February 2013. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
26. "Simon Cron, who led Northern Suburbs to Shute Shield win, named Australian U-20s coach". The Daily Telegraph. 9 November 2016. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
27. "Jason Gilmore says Super Rugby experience with Reds will help him plot junior Wallabies revival". Fox Sports. 10 April 2018. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
28. Williamson, Nathan (18 June 2021). "Junior Wallabies name squad for Oceania Tournament". rugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021.
29. "New coach Whitaker names first Australia U20s squad of 2025". rugby.com.au. 21 March 2025. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
30. "Reds star Pakeho headlines Australia U20 squad for World Championships". rugby.com.au. Rugby Australia. 20 June 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
31. "'Making ex-Wallabies proud': The mantra guiding Australia heading into U20s World Championship tilt". rugby.com.au. Rugby Australia. 21 June 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
32. "Awards Roll of Honour - World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 21 November 2024.

External links

• Australia U-20