World Rugby U20 Championship

Last updated

World Rugby U20 Championship
Current season or competition:
Rugby football current event.svg 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship
World Rugby Under 20 Championship logo.png
Sport Rugby union
Inaugural season 2008
Number of teams12
HoldersFlag of England.svg  England (2024)
Most titlesFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand (6 titles)
Website world.rugbyu20
Related competition World Rugby U20 Trophy

The World Rugby Under 20 Championship (known as the IRB Junior World Championship until 2014) is an international rugby union competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, World Rugby, and is contested by 12 men's junior national teams with an under-20 age requirement. This event replaced the IRB's former age-grade world championships, the Under 19 and Under 21 World Championships.

Contents

The inaugural tournament was held in June 2008, hosted by Wales and with 16 teams participating. Wales was announced as host for the inaugural tournament in November 2007. [1] The number of participating nations was reduced to 12 before the 2010 tournament due to financial reasons. [2]

The U20 Championship is the upper level of the World Rugby tournament structure for under-20 national sides. At the same time that the U20 Championship was launched, World Rugby (then known as the International Rugby Board) also launched a second-level competition, the U20 Trophy, featuring eight teams.

Promotion and relegation between the Trophy and the Championship is in place. The winner of the Trophy will play in next year's Championship, while the last placed team at the Championship will be relegated to the Trophy for the next year.

Tournament results

YearHostFinalThird place match
WinnerScoreRunner-up3rd placeScore4th place
2008 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
38–3Flag of England.svg
England
Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
43–18Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg
Wales
2009 Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
44–28Flag of England.svg
England
Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
32–5Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Australia
2010 Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
62–17Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Australia
Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
27–22Flag of England.svg
England
2011 Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
33–22Flag of England.svg
England
Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Australia
30–17Flag of France (lighter variant).svg
France
2012 Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
22–16Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg
Wales
25–17Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
2013 Flag of France (lighter variant).svg  France Flag of England.svg
England
23–15Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg
Wales
Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
41–34Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
2014 Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Flag of England.svg
England
21–20Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
45–23IRFU flag.svg
Ireland
2015 Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
21–16Flag of England.svg
England
Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
31–18Flag of France (lighter variant).svg
France
2016 Flag of England.svg  England Flag of England.svg
England
45–21IRFU flag.svg
Ireland
Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
49–19Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
2017 Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
64–17Flag of England.svg
England
Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
37–15Flag of France (lighter variant).svg
France
2018 Flag of France (lighter variant).svg  France Flag of France (lighter variant).svg
France
33–25Flag of England.svg
England
Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
40–30Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
2019 Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Flag of France (lighter variant).svg
France
24–23Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Australia
Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
41–16Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
Tournament canceled 2020–2022. [3] [4] [5]
2023 Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Flag of France.svg
France
50–14IRFU flag.svg
Ireland
Flag of South Africa.svg
South Africa
22–15Flag of England.svg
England
2024 Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Flag of England.svg
England
21–13Flag of France.svg
France
Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
38–24IRFU flag.svg
Ireland

Team records

TeamChampionsRunners-upThirdFourthTop 4
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 6 (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017)1 (2012)2 (2014, 2024)2 (2013, 2018)11
Flag of England.svg  England 4 (2013, 2014, 2016, 2024)6 (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018)2 (2010, 2023)12
Flag of France.svg  France 3 (2018, 2019, 2023)1 (2024)3 (2011, 2015, 2017)7
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 1 (2012)1 (2014)9 (2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023)1 (2016)12
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2 (2010, 2019)1 (2011)1 (2009)4
IRFU flag.svg  Ireland 2 (2016, 2023)2 (2014, 2024)4
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 1 (2013)1 (2012)1 (2008)3
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 1 (2016)2 (2012, 2019)3

Participating nations

World Rugby Junior Player of the Year

YearNameNation
2008 Luke Braid Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
2009 Aaron Cruden Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
2010 Julian Savea Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
2011 George Ford Flag of England.svg  England
2012 Jan Serfontein Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
2013 Sam Davies Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales
2014 Handré Pollard Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
2015 James Chisholm Flag of England.svg  England
2016 Max Deegan IRFU flag.svg  Ireland
2017 Juarno Augustus Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
2018 Jordan Joseph Flag of France (lighter variant).svg  France
2019 Juan Pablo Castro Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina
Cancelled 2020–2022
2023 Marko Gazzotti Flag of France.svg  France

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References

  1. UK Sport
  2. "International Rugby Board". Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  3. "World Rugby update on COVID-19 response measures and statement from Sir Bill Beaumont". World Rugby. 21 March 2020.
  4. "Statement on the World Rugby U20 Championship 2021". World Rugby. 3 February 2021. The World Rugby U20 Championship 2021 will not take place this year due to the ongoing impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
  5. "World Rugby U20 Championship and Trophy to return in 2023 – Welsh Rugby Union". 22 February 2022.