Australia national under-20 rugby union team

Last updated

Australia
Junior Wallabies crest 2018.png
Union Rugby Australia
Nickname(s)Junior Wallabies
Coach(es) Nathan Grey
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Kit body wallabies19h.png
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Kit right arm wallabies19h.png
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Team kit
First international
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 81–12 Canada  Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
(6 June 2008; Rodney Parade, Newport)
Largest win
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 91–7 Tonga  Flag of Tonga.svg
(1 May 2018; Bond Sports Park, Gold Coast)
Largest defeat
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 12–69 New Zealand  Flag of New Zealand.svg
(10 July 2022; SC Stadium, Bokarina)
World Cup
Appearances14 (First in 2008)
Best resultRunners-up (2010, 2019)
1x1.png Australia national under-20 rugby union logo.png
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.

Contents

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 2024 season:

As of 19 July 2024.
OpponentPldWDLW%PFPADiff.
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 830537.5%162145+17
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 2200100%16712+155
Flag of England.svg  England 811612.5%165204–39
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 8800100%352125+228
Flag of France.svg  France 730442.86%178170+8
Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia 1100100%3511+24
IRFU flag.svg  Ireland 420250%9884+14
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 760185.71%23291+141
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 3300100%16564+101
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 17401323.53%348597–249
Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa 6600100%22894+134
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 640266.67%218104+114
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 420250%84132–48
Flag of Tonga.svg  Tonga 4400100%25225+227
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 650183.33%204133+71
Total915413659.34%2,7881,991+797

World Rugby U20 Championship record

World Rugby U20 Championship record
YearRoundPldWDLPFPA
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg 2008 Fifth place540122168
Flag of Japan.svg 2009 Fourth place530218674
Flag of Argentina.svg 2010 Runners-up 5401239131
Flag of Italy.svg 2011 Third place5302166117
Flag of South Africa.svg 2012 Eighth place510410794
Flag of France (lighter variant).svg 2013 Seventh place520311484
Flag of New Zealand.svg 2014 Fifth place5401176101
Flag of Italy.svg 2015 Fifth place5401136110
Flag of England.svg 2016 Sixth place5203120116
Flag of Georgia.svg 2017 Sixth place5302135106
Flag of France (lighter variant).svg 2018 Fifth place5302178103
Flag of Argentina.svg 2019 Runners-up 5302171122
Flag of South Africa.svg 2023 Fifth place5311179157
Flag of South Africa.svg 2024 [a] Sixth place4 [a] 2028971
Flag of None.svg 2025 To be determined.
TotalRunners-up (2)69411272,2171,454

U20 Rugby Championship record

U20 Rugby Championship record
YearRoundPldWDLPFPA
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2024 Fourth place31025580
Flag of None.svg 2025 To be determined.
TotalFourth place (1)31035580

Oceania Rugby U20 Championship record

Oceania Rugby U20 Championship record
YearRoundPldWDLPFPA
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2015 Runners-up320110987
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2016 Runners-up21013554
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2017 Runners-up32018187
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2018 Runners-up320117055
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2019 Champions330010414
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2022 Third place31029198
TotalChampions (1)171106590395

Head coaches

Honours

World Junior Championship
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: [28]

World Rugby Junior Player of the Year
YearNomineesWinners
2009 Richard Kingi
2010 Robbie Coleman
2015 Jonah Placid
2019 Fraser McReight

See also

Notes

  1. 1 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. [19] [20] Each team was awarded two points. [20] 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.

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References

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